Department for Transport

Rolling Stock

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the procurement of bi-modal trains so that more trains can run on the West Coast Main Line and then travel on to parts of the network that are not electrified.

Claire Perry: An error has been identified in the written answer given on 16 December 2015.The correct answer should have been:

It is for the operator to assess the merits of using such rolling stock. We believe that they are best placed to procure the rolling stock that they require to deliver the necessary levels of service and capacity. Bi-modes clearly provide one option for new rolling stock as can be seen by the current procurement of the Class Hitachi AT-300s by Great Western Railway.

Claire Perry: It is for the operator to assess the merits of using such rolling stock. We believe that they are best placed to procure the rolling stock that they require to deliver the necessary levels of service and capacity. Bi-modes clearly provide one option for new rolling stock as can be seen by the current procurement of the Class Hitachi AT-300s by Great Western Railway.

Railways: North of England

Jonathan Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how Rail North will work with existing transport bodies in the area in which it operates.

Andrew Jones: Rail North consists of Rail North Ltd (RNL) a company limited by guarantee and the Association of Rail North Partner Authorities ("the Association").The Association consists of 29 local transport authorities (including combined authorities and PTEs, county councils and unitary district councils). Its main function is to develop and oversee the implementation of a long-term rail strategy for the North; it also acts as a forum for liaison with Transport for the North on rail issues.All member authorities of the Association are members of RNL, which is run by a Board of eleven elected councillors appointed by the member authorities on a geographical basis. However, important strategic and financial issues require the approval of the membership.These governance arrangements therefore provide all 29 local transport authorities a full opportunity to engage with Rail North on important rail issues affecting their area.

Railways: North of England

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic benefits to the Calder Valley of the award of the new Northern rail franchise.

Andrew Jones: The Calder Valley route between Manchester and Bradford will see more trains and faster journeys, with the weekday service frequency between Bradford and Manchester being enhanced by 50% (from two to three trains per hour), a significant increase in evening services, a doubling of Sunday service frequency from one to two trains per hour, and new direct links from Bradford to Manchester Airport and from Bradford to Liverpool.Add this to the withdrawal of all Pacers by the end of 2019, an investment of £400 million in 281 brand newcarriages (some of which will operate on the new Bradford-Manchester Airport and Bradford-Liverpool services), and the refurbishment of the rest of the Northern fleet, we expect these enhancements to result in very substantial economic benefits for the area.

Recreation Spaces: Investment

Daniel Zeichner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of investment in public spaces and walking infrastructure on (a) footfall in those spaces and (b) trading levels for businesses situated on or near those spaces or that infrastructure.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Department for Transport has not made any recent assessment. However, we are aware of the work undertaken by Living Streets, who also form part of the Department’s Cycling and Walking High Level Group.

A591: Repairs and Maintenance

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the timeframe for repairing flood damage to the A591 in Cumbria.

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support his Department is giving to Cumbria County Council to assist in the assessment of bridges in that county affected by recent flooding.

Andrew Jones: The Department for Transport is providing funding of up to £2 million to help both Cumbria County Council and Lancashire County Council assess the local highway networks for which they are responsible for the damage caused by Storm Desmond. In respect to the A591 this will be for Cumbria County Council to determine the options for the repair of this road to ensure it can be opened as quickly as possible.

Motor Vehicles: Exhaust Emissions

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the threat of legal action by the European Commission over UK levels of NOx on level of support required for vehicles that deliver zero real world tailpipe emissions.

Andrew Jones: Zero emission vehicles are a key component of any long term answer to urban air quality problems. The government will spend more than £600 million between 2015-16 and 2020-21 to support the uptake and manufacturing of ultra low emission vehicles in the UK which will keep the UK on track to meet our ambitious target that nearly all cars and vans will be zero emission by 2050.

Electric Vehicles

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with colleagues and representatives from the automotive sector regarding whether the Plug-in Car Grant should prioritise Pure Electric Vehicles above Plug-in Hybrids.

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with colleagues and representatives from the automotive sector regarding the adequacy of the £600 million allocated in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 for the Plug-in Car Grant over the Parliament.

Andrew Jones: The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) comprises elements of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, Energy Climate Change and Transport and its work programme has cross-government support. The 2015 Spending Review settlement represents an increase of over £100 million on the Government’s manifesto commitment and means that the Plug-in Car Grant can run throughout the Parliament if there is a market need.The government announced on the 17 December a long-term extension to the Plug-in Car Grant to encourage more low emission vehicles on Britain’s roads. The announcement confirms the grant will continue until at least the end of March 2018.From next March, buyers of the greenest cars can save up to £4,500 off the price, bringing total funding for the scheme to £400m over the course of this Parliament. In addition the greenest vehicles will be exempt from the £60,000 price cap.Ministers and officials frequently meet with representatives of both vehicle manufacturers and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders to discuss the ULEV market. This helps to inform policy discussions about grant levels.

Roads: North of England

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the Road User Satisfaction Report to be published for (a) Northwest Area 12, covering parts of Greater Manchester and North Yorkshire, (b) Northwest Area 13, covering parts of Cumbria and Lancashire and (c) North East and Yorkshire Area 14, covering parts of Durham and Northumberland; and for what reason those reports were not published at the same time as the other regional reports.

Andrew Jones: The Area User Satisfaction Survey (ARUSS) runs continually throughout the year across England. Results are provided for each area every 6 months on a rolling basis.Area 12 and Area 14 (Yorkshire and the North East)The report covering the period June 2015 to November 2015 will be available at the end of December 2015 and published on the Highways England website.Area 10 and Area 13 (North West)The report covering the period July 2015 to December 2015 will be available at the end of January 2015 and published on theHighways England website.

Railways: Suicide

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people took their own life on the rail network in each year since 2010.

Claire Perry: The total number of suicides recorded as having taken place on National Rail in each of the last five years are shown in the following table.Total suicide or suspected suicide: GB 2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-15National Rail208249245277293 Source: ORRThe Government is fully supportive of initiatives which the rail industry is taking, led by Network Rail, in liaison with the Samaritans and other organisations, to reduce the number of suicides on the network. The initiatives include measures to reduce the ease of access to platforms passed by fast trains, and to train staff to intervene to help people near the railway who may be in a distressed state.

Emergency Services: Motor Vehicles

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing mandatory reporting of major vehicle malfunction incidents by the emergency services to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

Andrew Jones: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is not aware of any requirement for mandatory reporting of major vehicle malfunction incidents by the emergency services. There is a voluntary method by which emergency services can report to DVSA concerns of design or construction defects in automotive products. This has been in place for many years and is an efficient and effective method used by the emergency services.

Air Pollution

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will place in the Library a copy of the terms of reference of the additional air-quality analysis referred to in his Department's press release, entitled Government confirms support for airport expansion in the South East, dated 10 December 2015.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Airports Commission published a large amount of analysis on air quality for their three shortlisted schemes. It is my intention to test the Commission’s air quality analysis against the Government’s new Air Quality Plan. This was a recommendation of the Environmental Audit Committee alongside other recommendations that I will fully consider in due course.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding his Department allocated to the Winter Weather Repair Fund in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2014-15; and what funding it has allocated to that fund in (i) 2015-16 and (ii) 2016-17.

Andrew Jones: The Department for Transport is providing over £6.1 billion funding to local highway authorities in England between 2015 and 2021 for local highways maintenance. This includes repairing roads that might be damaged due to severe winter weather. This funding includes £50 million per annum from 2016 to 2021 for a dedicated Pothole Action Fund as announced in the recent Spending Review.This is additional to the funding of over £4.7 billion the Government provided to local highway authorities between 2010 and 2015 for highways maintenance, including £168 million to tackle potholes across the country, as well as £183.5 million we provided in 2014 to help repair roads damaged by the winter floods of 2013/14. Between 2010 to 2015 the maintenance funding was 27% or £1billion higher than in the previous five years.

National Air Traffic Services

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what income his Department received in connection with its holding in NATS Holdings Ltd in each year from 2010-11 to 2014-15; and what his Department's projected income is from its holding in NATS Holdings Ltd in each year from 2015-16 to 2020-21.

Mr Robert Goodwill: NATS is a private company and HMG owns a 49% stake in this entity.In each of the years 2010-11 to 2014-15, the Department received the following income in connection with its stake in NATS:Year2010-112011-122012-132013-142014-15Income (£m)19.54724.77519.54730.29837.628Future dividend distribution will be determined by the board of NATS as appropriate.

Great Western Railway Line: Electrification

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 6 of Sir Peter Hendy's report on the replanning of Network Rail's Investment Programme, published on 25 November 2015, if he will publish an analysis by cost heading of the £2.8 billion estimate of the cost of Great Western Main Line electrification.

Claire Perry: As the Sir Peter Hendy report states, ‘work to update the programme for Great Western Electrification is being concluded as this report is completed. The latest estimates for cost and delivery milestones have been reflected in this report although this is still subject to final review. Electrification to Cardiff is planned to be completed in Control Period 5 (2014-19) within the estimated total cost of £2.8 billion (in 2012-13 prices). As elements of the design programme mature, a more accurate assessment of the cost and delivery schedule will be established.

Aviation: Noise

Lilian Greenwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 21 of the First Report of Session from the Environmental Audit Committee on the Airports Commission Report, HC 389, whether his Department is undertaking a review of public sensitivity to aviation noise.

Mr Robert Goodwill: In 2014/15, IPSOS/MORI conducted on behalf of the Department for Transport a survey on noise attitudes which focused on noise from civil aviation, near to major airports in England. The results of the survey are currently being analysed.

Cycling

Dr Tania Mathias: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what budget his Department has allocated for cycling-related road improvements in each of the next five years.

Mr Robert Goodwill: The Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, to be published in summer 2016, will set out the Government’s plans for investing in cycling and walking.The Government recently reaffirmed its commitment to cycling and walking, with SR2015 announcing funding support ofover £300m. This includes delivering the £114m Cycle City Ambition programme in full, which includes improved cycling infrastructure on roads, and a new ‘Access’ fund for sustainable travel building on the legacy of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund. In addition, the Road Investment Strategy for 2015-20 includes plans to improve 200 sections of the roads network for cyclists. All other funding streams will be considered as part of the process for developing the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.It is also worth noting that from within the record £6 billion to be allocated to local highways authorities between 2015 and 2021 for road maintenance, from 2018/19 the plan is to change the formula used to allocate local highways maintenance capital funding so that it also takes into account footways and cycleways as well as the roads, bridges and street lighting, which it is currently based on. Once implemented, around 9% of the funding will be based on footway and cycleway lengths.SR2015 also announced an additional £250m for a potholes action fund, which will benefits both motorists and cyclists.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Local Authorities

Mr Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what his policy is on creation of new unitary authorities.

Mr Marcus Jones: Holding answer received on 14 December 2015



The Government's policy is to work with local areas to deliver effective devolution with the governance necessary to support this. We support the move to create new unitary authorities where such a move is locally driven and enjoys local support.

Local Government: Glasgow

Phil Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what progress is being made on the Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal.

James Wharton: The Glasgow and Clyde Valley City Deal is progressing well. Local partners are committed to a programme of 20 infrastructure projects over twenty years. The Glasgow and Clyde Valley Cabinet are agreeing business cases, with construction work to begin in due course.

Private Rented Housing: Standards

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to tackle landlords who knowingly rent out unsafe and substandard accommodation.

Brandon Lewis: Through the Housing and Planning Bill we are taking measures to tackle rogue landlords who rent out sub-standard accommodation. Our proposals include a database of rogue landlords and property agents, introducing banning orders for serious or repeat offenders, a tougher fit and proper person test, extending Rent Repayment Orders and introducing civil penalties for offences such as failing to comply with an improvement notice or overcrowding a property. In addition, over the last Parliament, we made over £6.7 million available to local authorities to help them tackle rogue landlords in their areas. We have also invited 65 local authorities to bid for a share of a further £5 million funding to tackle rogue landlords and will be announcing successful schemes shortly.

Public Expenditure: Scotland

Richard  Arkless: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what effect the policies outlined in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 will have on the amount his Department plans to spend on policies and services which in Scotland are devolved to the Scottish Government.

Brandon Lewis: My Department does not have responsibility for policies or services in Scotland. These are devolved to the Scottish Parliament. However, the increased funding for Housing announced in the Autumn Statement will deliver benefits to Scotland, thanks to the application of the Barnett formula. This Spending Review delivers a 14% real terms increase in capital budgets for the Scottish Government, which is equal to £1.9 billion over the spending review period. This is in addition to existing borrowing powers of over £2 billion. This will enable the Scottish Government, should they chose to do so, to support hard-working people who aspire to own their own home, and deliver the homes that communities want.

Green Belt: Dorset

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in the East Dorset District Council area has been redesignated in the last five years.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in the Poole Unitary Authority area has been redesignated in the last five years.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in the Purbeck District Council area has been redesignated in the last five years.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in the East Dorset District Council area has been redesignated in the last five years as community land trust.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in the Dorset County Council area has been redesignated in the last five years.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in Mid Dorset and North Poole has been redesignated in the last five years.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in Mid Dorset and North Poole has been redesignated as community land trust in the last five years.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in the Dorset County Council area has been redesignated as community land trust in the last five years.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of brownfield land in the Purbeck District Council area has been redesignated as community land trust in the last five years.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of brownfield land in the Poole Unitary Authority area has been redesignated as community land trust in the last five years.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of brownfield land in Mid Dorset and North Poole has been redesignated as community land trust in the last five years.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of brownfield land in the East Dorset District Council area has been redesignated as community land trust in the last five years.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in the Purbeck District Council area has been redesignated as community land trust in the last five years.

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what proportion of green belt land in the Poole Unitary Authority area has been redesignated as community land trust in the last five years.

Brandon Lewis: The Department does not hold information centrally on the amount or type of land held by community land trusts.The Department’s annual Green Belt statistics monitor the amount of land designated as Green Belt in England and any changes to the designated area since the previous year. The statistics record the change by local planning authority.Of the local planning authorities for which information was requested, the following have made changes to the Green Belt in the last five years:East Dorset reduced the area of designated Green Belt in 2014-15 by 160 hectares to 16,720 hectares, a reduction of 1 per cent; andPurbeck increased the area of designated Green Belt in 2012-13 by 460 hectares to 8,200 hectares, an increase of 6 per cent.

UK Advisory Forum on Ageing

Nick Thomas-Symonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department has taken to seek the views of pensioners on (a) his Department's policies and (b) housing for older and vulnerable people since the closure of the UK Advisory Forum on Ageing.

Brandon Lewis: The United Kingdom Advisory Forum on Ageing closed on 1 December 2015. The Department of Communities and Local Government will continue to engage with older people and their representative bodies through existing mechanisms and forums.

Rented Housing: Pets

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what advice his Department gives to local authorities, housing associations and other housing providers on permitting or restricting (a) senior citizens and (b) others from keeping animals in rented accommodation.

Brandon Lewis: The Department for Communities and Local Government does not issue any guidance on keeping animals in rented accommodation.

Housing: Greater London

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will estimate the proportion of people in London who will be able to afford to (a) rent and (b) buy a home in 2016.

Brandon Lewis: My Department does not produce estimates on the proportion of people who will be able to afford to rent or to buy a home in London.The Spending Review doubled investment in housing to more than £20 billion over the next five years to support the largest housing programme by any Government since the 1970’s, including:£4 billion for 135,000 Help to Buy: Shared Ownership homes, which will allow people to buy a share in their home and increase that equity over time;£2.3 billion towards delivering 200,000 new Starter Homes, which will be available at 20 per cent discount to young first time buyers;£1.6 billion for 100,000 affordable homes for rent;£12 billion of additional housing investment to provide thousands more homes, including expanding Help to Buy in London where the scheme will increase equity loans up to 40% instead of the standard 20% to support thousands of aspiring homeowners in the capital.

Schools: Finance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, for what reasons school reserves are included in local authority balance sheet reserves.

Mr Marcus Jones: The reserves of local authority maintained schools are included in local authority balance sheet reserves. This is because those schools are subject to a level of local authority control. However the reserves of local authority maintained schools are ringfenced, which means that they cannot be diverted for non-schools purposes. The reserves of academies and free schools are not included in local authority balance sheet reserves.

Devolution: North East

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 7 December 2015 to Question 18232, if he will make it his policy to include the monitoring of the use of public transport and investment in the North East's bus and rail networks as part of the process of monitoring the North East Devolution Deal.

James Wharton: Monitoring arrangements for the North East Devolution Deal are still subject to ongoing discussions, and once agreed will form part of the North East Combined Authority’s Implementation Plan.

Starter Home Initiative: Finance

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what forecast his Department has made of how much it will spend on the starter homes fund in the next financial year; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: The Spending Review announced £2.3 billion would be made available to support the delivery of Starter Homes over the Spending Review period. Further details about the use of this funding will be announced shortly.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Romania: Mass Media

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department has had with the government of Romania on (a) improving media freedom and media pluralism in that country and (b) the activities of (i) Central Media Enterprise, (ii) Adrian Sârbu and (iii) Ronald Lauder.

Mr David Lidington: The British Embassy in Bucharest continues to follow the issue of media freedom in Romania, given its impact on the quality of democracy and on the rule of law. As part of the Co-operation and Verification Mechanism (CVM), to which Romania has been subject since its EU accession, the European Commission has called on Romania to “review existing standards to safeguard a free and pluralist media”. We have worked closely with the European Commission and the Romanian government in encouraging full implementation of CVM recommendations including on the relationship between the media and state institutions. The Department has had no recent discussions with the government of Romania on the activities of Central Media Enterprise, Adrian Sarbu or Ronald Lauder.

Kamal Foroughi

Oliver Dowden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings officials in his Department have had with their Iranian counterparts on the detention of Kamal Foroughi in Evin Prison.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We remain very concerned about the case of dual-national Mr Mr Kamal Foroughi and in particular recent reports of deterioration in his health whilst in detention. Iran does not recognise dual nationality and as such has not granted us consular access. I met his family on 1 December, and confirmed that we have raised his case with the Iranian authorities on repeated occasions, urging Iran to provide regular medical assistance and access to a lawyer. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised this with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif and President Rouhani during his trip to Iran in August. He also raised it most recently with Foreign Minister Zarif in New York at the UN General Assembly in September. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) raised the case with President Rouhani during a telephone call in July, and wrote a further letter on the matter in October regarding our consular cases.

Colombia: Peace Negotiations

Mrs Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of continuing violence by paramilitaries in Colombia on the progress of peace talks in that country.

Mr Hugo Swire: The government of Colombia has made significant progress on peace process negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). I am pleased that an agreement has been reached this week between the parties on the long-standing issue of Transitional Justice and reparations for victims. Both sides have committed to sign a final agreement by the end of March 2016 and the UK remains committed to supporting this deadline.I am concerned about the continued negative influence of organised criminal gangs and resulting violence in Colombia. I am pleased to see that the Colombian Minister of Defence has announced that tackling organised crime is a top priority for 2016. The UK, through the work of the National Crime Agency and others, continues to support the government of Colombia on this issue.Much of the government of Colombia’s success on tackling organised crime and related violence will depend on the progress of peace negotiations in Havana, which provide an opportunity to bring about real change for all Colombians.

Andargachew Tsege

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2015 to Question 13962, when he most recently made representations to his Ethiopian counterpart on the detention of Andargachew Tsege.

James Duddridge: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Philip Hammond) wrote to Ethiopian Foreign Minister Tedros on 10 December about Andargachew Tsege’s continued detention. He made clear that Mr Tsege should have access to a lawyer, and be allowed to challenge his detention through a legal process.

Syria

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his international counterparts on forced disappearances in Syria.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We continue to press (including in international fora) for the immediate end to enforced disappearances in Syria and the release of those arbitrarily detained.The UK sponsored three resolutions on the human rights situation in Syria at the Human Rights Council during 2015 condemning all arbitrary detention of individuals by the Syrian authorities and other parties to the conflict and demanding the immediate release of all persons arbitrarily detained. We also co-sponsored the UN General Assembly Third Committee Resolution on the human rights situation in Syria which was successfully adopted on 19 November.We support the UN Commission of Inquiry’s investigations into human rights violations and abuses, including enforced disappearances, in Syria. In partnership with other donor countries, we are funding the collection of documentary evidence on such abuses for use in possible legal processes in the future. We continue to call for the UN Commission of Inquiry to have unhindered access to all persons deprived of their liberty and allow them to investigate.Last year the UK co-sponsored a UN Security Council Resolution to refer all those responsible for war-crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria, regardless of affiliation, to the International Criminal Court. Russia and China chose to veto this resolution.

Yemen: Armed Conflict

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will issue a response to Early Day Motion 846, Use of explosive weapons and human rights violations in Yemen.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are aware of reports on alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Yemen by the Coalition, including alleged airstrikes resulting in civilian, including child casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, and take these very seriously. We have regularly raised our concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities and received assurances that they are complying with IHL. We continue to engage with Saudi Arabia on those assurances and have offered advice and training to demonstrate best practice and to help ensure continued compliance with IHL.We are also concerned by reports of alleged IHL violations by Houthi-Saleh and pro-government forces, including attacks on civilians in Aden and Taiz; intimidation of UN ships attempting to dock at Aden; the use of schools and hospitals for military purposes; the use of child soldiers; and the targeting of aid workers and restrictions on humanitarian access. We have also raised the importance of compliance with IHL with the Houthis.The UK operates one of the most rigorous and transparent export control regimes in the world. All exports of arms and controlled military goods to Saudi Arabia are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Licensing Criteria.

Libya: Islamic State

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to protect Libya from further infiltration by Daesh.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We are extremely concerned about the growing threat from extremist groups in Libya, including Daesh and groups affiliated with it. These groups pose a threat to the stability of Libya and the region, and potentially to the UK and our interests and citizens overseas. We are working closely with international partners to deepen our understanding of Daesh’s presence in North Africa, including in Libya, and to develop a comprehensive approach to defeat it. This includes working closely with Libya’s neighbours to enhance their ability to protect themselves against threats from terrorists in Libya, and prevent fighters and weapons being smuggled across the region. We are supporting UN-led efforts to establish a Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya, which will be crucial in the long term to tackling the Daesh threat present in that country and across the region.I joined international and regional Ministers at the Rome Conference on 13 December to underline our firm commitment to providing the new GNA with full political backing and technical, economic, security and counter-terrorism assistance, as requested.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Trade Unions

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which trades union groups have received (a) funding and (b) other support from his Department in each of the last five years.

Mr David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Shaker Aamer

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contacts (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had with Shaker Aamer since his release from Guantánamo Bay; and what information he holds on whether Ministers or officials in other departments have had such contacts.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: There has been no FCO Ministerial contact with Mr Aamer. Representatives of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Metropolitan police accompanied Mr Aamer on his way back to the UK. The Government has been in contact with Mr Aamer’s legal representatives throughout the process of securing his release and thereafter.

Shaker Aamer

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions representatives of the Government have had with Shaker Aamer (a) prior to and (b) following his release from Guantánamo Bay on the terms and conditions of his release.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Government has been in contact with Mr Aamer’s legal representatives throughout the process of securing his release and thereafter. It has been a long-standing policy of successive British Governments that we would seek the release and return of those UK nationals and former legal residents who have been held at Guantanamo Bay.

Shaker Aamer

Ms Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government has (a) made and (b) plans to make any payment to Shaker Aamer (i) in return for an undertaking that he will not pursue legal action against the Government and (ii) for any other reason.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The settlement of the Guantanamo civil claims announced by Her Majesty's Government in November 2010 was subject to a legally binding confidentiality agreement. We will not comment further about the terms of the settlement or about who is party to it.

Business: Human Rights

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects to report on his review of the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights.

Mr David Lidington: We aim to produce a revised version of the UK National Action Plan (NAP) for the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles (UNGPs) on Business and Human Rights early in 2016, meeting the previous Coalition Government’s commitment to do so. The NAP that will be laid before Parliament will reflect the broad range of activity related to business and human rights already taking place across government, including on tackling modern slavery. The review process has involved wide consultation across government as well as with businesses and civil society organisations.

European Union Solidarity Fund: Floods

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will make a formal application for funding from the EU Solidarity Fund to support communities affected by flooding.

Mr David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Kamal Foroughi

Mr Khalid Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if his Department will take steps to assist in securing the release of Kamal Foroughi from Evin Prison in Iran.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: We remain very concerned about the case of dual-national Mr Kamal Foroughi. Iran does not recognise dual nationality and as such has not granted us consular access. I met his family on 1 December, and confirmed that we have raised this with the Iranian authorities on repeated occasions, urging Iran to provide regular medical assistance and access to a lawyer which are both key to securing his release. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) raised this with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif and President Rouhani during his visit to Iran in August. He also raised it most recently with Foreign Minister Zarif in New York at the UN General Assembly in September. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) raised the case with President Rouhani during a telephone call in July, and wrote a further letter on the matter in October regarding our consular cases.

Gambia: Third Sector

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what funding support the British (a) Council and (b) Embassy in The Gambia provides to civil society organisations in that country.

James Duddridge: Over the past two financial years, the British Embassy in The Gambia has provided funding support to civil society organisations totalling £81,965. This funding has focused on ten projects relating to human rights, good governance, education, health and disease prevention and environmental conservation. The funding is part of the Embassy’s Bilateral Programme Fund and comes under Overseas Development Assistance. There is no British Council in The Gambia.

Gambia: Human Rights

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in The Gambia.

James Duddridge: The UK remains concerned about The Gambia’s human rights record. We are the only EU Member State with a resident Ambassador and have a leading role in pressing the Gambian government for improved respect for human rights. We welcome some recent positive steps taken by President Jammeh, such as banning Female Genital Mutilation and the unconditional release of over 300 prisoners – including 60 high profile political prisoners. However, more needs to be done. Through our bilateral dialogue, and alongside EU partners, we will continue to make clear to the Government of The Gambia the need for further progress on its human rights record.

Cabinet Office

Government Departments: Cybercrime

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many cyber attacks have been prevented on government systems in each year from 2010 to date.

Matthew Hancock: For security reasons we do not comment on specific details of cyber security attacks but we are continuously monitoring and managing the security risks to all HMG systems.We take cyber security very seriously; since 2011 we have invested £860 million in a National Cyber Security Programme to protect the UK from cyber attack.We will invest £1.9b in cyber security over the next five years to protect the UK from cyber attacks. This ambitious level of investment will include: a programme of active cyber defence; creation of a National Cyber Centre and an ambitious skills programme.

Government Departments: Data Protection

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on how many occasions Government departments have reported an information security breach since 2010.

Matthew Hancock: Information regarding information security breaches is held by individual departments.

Cabinet Office: Public Expenditure

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 November 2015 to Question 15020, for what reason his Department's outstanding spend data over £25,000 has not yet been published.

Matthew Hancock: The data is being compiled and will be published as soon as is practicable.

Agriculture: Subsidies

Louise Haigh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he expects applicants for payments under CAP to be able to register their identity using GOV.UK Verify as planned under the new CAP regime.

Matthew Hancock: Applicants can already register and sign in online for Rural Payments with GOV.UK Verify.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Innovation: Finance

Angela Rayner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to paragraph 1.57 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on research and development by industry of converting innovation grants into interest-paying loans.

Joseph Johnson: Access to finance remains an important challenge for innovative enterprises. We want to broaden the type of financial support available for innovation. Other European countries like France, Finland and The Netherlands offer financial products in their policy mix for business innovation. We are seeking to learn from these approaches. In doing this, we will engage with businesses to better understand their needs and support access to sufficient financing throughout the lifecycle of innovative projects.

Students: Disability

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what information his Department holds on satisfaction levels of (a) non-disabled and (b) disabled students of their experience in higher education.

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what evaluation he has conducted on the extent to which universities cater to the needs of disabled students.

Joseph Johnson: The National Student Survey (NSS) annually gathers students’ opinions on the quality of their course. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) published a separate report in 2014 which provides analysis on the differences between NSS results for different student characteristics over the period 2005-2013.A copy of the report and a tool, which allows the data to be filtered by different student characteristics including disability, are available on the HEFCE website athttp://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/hefce/content/pubs/2014/201413/HEFCE2014_13%20-%20corrected%2012%20December%202014.pdfhttp://www.hefce.ac.uk/analysis/nsstrend/ Higher education institutions have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled students and to monitor their compliance with their Equality Act duties. The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011 require institutions to publish information as to their compliance with the general public sector equality duty.The Independent Office for Fair Access (OFFA) has agreed 183 Access Agreements for 2016/17 with plans for universities to spend more than £745 million on measures to improve access and student success for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, up from £404m in 2009/10. Higher education institutions choose their own access agreement measures and targets, in line with their own particular mission and challenges and these can include targets on disability where appropriate.

Chemicals

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will hold discussions with manufacturers about developing antifreeze products without ethylene glycol.

Anna Soubry: There have been no recent discussions between the Department and manufacturers of anti-freeze on developing products without ethylene glycol and there is no immediate plan to do so.We consider the existing legislation to be effective. Consumers should be aware of the dangers presented by antifreeze products because these products are legally required to carry appropriate safety warnings under the Classification and Labelling (CLP) Regulations.

Universities: Guide Dogs

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether UK universities are required to admit support dogs for adults with autism.

Joseph Johnson: Higher Education Institutionsare autonomous and independent bodies, and have clear legal responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to support their students, including those with autism.Under the Equality Act 2010 institutions have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people to ensure students are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students.

Business: Advisory Services

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what discussions he had with small businesses and entrepreneurs on the planned closure of the Business Growth Service.

Anna Soubry: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills continues to have discussions with businesses and their representatives. They have told us that there is strong appetite in the private sector to fill the gap in the market and develop sustainable offers of support.

Business: Advisory Services

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on the Northern powerhouse of the closure of the Business Growth Service.

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect on the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises of the closure of the Business Growth Service.

Anna Soubry: We do not expect closure of the Business Growth Service to have an impact on the growth of Small and Medium sized Enterprises or the Northern Powerhouse.

Students: Loans

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what estimate his Department has made of the total value of student loans likely to be written off in each of the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Joseph Johnson: More people than ever before are now able to benefit from higher education. The student loan system ensures that access to finance should not be a barrier to participation in higher education.For students starting their Higher Education course prior to the 2020-21 academic year the nominal value of student loans that are written off in each of the next 10 years is forecast as follows:Financial year2015-162016-172017-182018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-242024-25Write-off amount (nominal; £m)220140190230310350390450520520Source: BIS Student Loan Repayment Model. Figures are rounded to the nearest £10m.This table includes loans written-off due to any of the following circumstances: a) if the loan borrower started their Higher Education course prior to 2006-07 academic year and has reached the age of 65; b) the borrower has died; or c) the borrower becomes disabled

Department for International Development

Climate Change Convention: Paris

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what form of transport she used to travel to the COP21 conference in Paris in December 2015; and for what reasons she used that form of transport.

Justine Greening: I flew to the COP 21 once which was the most cost effective and efficient means of travel. DFID offsets all its air and train travel.

New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her Department has given to New Alliance in respect of farming in Africa; and what criteria that organisation was assessed against to receive such support.

Mr Nick Hurd: In 2012 the UK pledged to support the New Alliance commitment to inclusive agriculture growth. The UK contributes to projects in six founding member countries. These projects aim to improve incomes from agricultural production, and strengthen the food security and nutrition of poor smallholders farmers.The UK also supports the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (managed by the World Bank) and other international agriculture research and policy initiatives.All DFID funding undergoes thorough scrutiny and is linked to performance. This includes the value for money proposition and poverty impact. Each project is subject to annual reviews that are posted on the DFID Development Tracker website.

Pakistan: Literacy

Mike Kane: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of UK aid spending in reducing levels of illiteracy in Pakistan.

Mr Desmond Swayne: The Pakistan programme is DFID’s largest bilateral investment in education worldwide. More than 6.3 million primary school children and 3.7 million secondary school children have benefited since 2011. Working in partnership with provincial governments and the private sector, we aim to get more children into school, staying longer, and learning more.DFID has funded the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) for the last three years. The report includes a wide range of data on education, including pupil enrolment, provision of facilities, and learning outcomes. In their 2015 report, published on 17 December 2015, ASER reports on national progress on literacy in rural areas for example it shows that grade 5 literacy levels in English have improved by 7 per cent. DFID interventions in the education sector since 2011 are likely to have had a positive impact on literacy levels in Punjab and Khyber Phaktunkhwa, given the focus on improved facilities and teaching, and pupil and teacher attendance. It is not however possible to claim a direct correlation between the ASER data and DFID’s investment.

Gambia: Overseas Aid

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her Department's policy priorities are for supporting projects in The Gambia.

Mr Nick Hurd: DFID does not have a bilateral aid programme in The Gambia. The decision to end our programme was agreed with the Government of Gambia in 2008, and our office closed in 2011. The decision was taken to wind down the programme gradually as part of a responsible exit, and to ensure partners built on successful DFID programmes.The UK continues to maintain a good relationship with the Gambia. The UK supports The Gambia through its contributions to multilateral institutions, such the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the EU’s European Development Fund.

Overseas Aid

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which 10 countries will receive the greatest amount of UK overseas aid in 2016.

Justine Greening: The Department is currently undertaking a Bilateral Aid Review, which will determine the countries to which we will provide bilateral assistance over the Spending Review period, and the levels of that assistance.

Overseas Aid

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 9 November 2015 to Question 14345, what steps her Department takes to ensure that aid graduation is sustainable where the Government's contribution is provided through a multilateral institution.

Justine Greening: The Department is currently undertaking a Multilateral Aid Review which will inform our funding decisions and our reform priorities for the multilateral agencies that we work with.

Overseas Aid

Stephen Gethins: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 9 November 2015 to Question 14345, if her Department will publish a position proper on the criteria it uses to ensure aid graduation is sustainable.

Justine Greening: The Department is currently undertaking a Bilateral Aid Review which will determine the countries that we will provide direct bilateral assistance to over the next five years.

Department for Education

ICT: Education

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to promote coding as part of the curriculum or otherwise amongst young people.

Nick Gibb: The new computing curriculum, introduced in September 2014 and compulsory for ages 5-16, has been designed to ensure the study of topics such as computational logic, algorithms and coding.The government has spent more than £4.5 million over the past three years to support schools in delivering high quality computing teaching. This includes £3 million for Computing At School to build a national network of over 350 ‘Master Teachers’ in computer science whom schools can commission to provide training for their teachers.In primary school, pupils will be looking at designing, writing and debugging programs. With these skills, pupils can create games or useful tools like a number generator for maths.

Cybercrime: Young People

Margaret Ferrier: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the page on the National Crime Agency website entitled, Cyber crime: Preventing young people from getting involved, what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on interest in coding and possession of independent learning material on computing being considered possible indicators of risk of involvement in cyber crime.

Nick Gibb: The Secretary of State holds discussions on a range of topics with Cabinet Ministers.The National Crime Agency (NCA) has recently published guidance on preventing young people from becoming involved in cyber-crime: www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/crime-threats/cyber-crime/cyber-crime-preventing-young-people-from-getting-involved

Family Rights Group

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people in (a) Feltham and Heston constituency, (b) Houndslow, (c) London and (d) the UK sought advice from the Family Rights Group in 2015.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education supports the Family Rights Group (FRG) in providing a national helpline for England. Our grant agreement with FRG does not require them to provide us with data by ward or the wider UK.

Teachers: Working Hours

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will commission or undertake a review into whether school teachers' working hours are excessive; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: Removing unnecessary workload for teachers is a priority for this government. We are commissioning a biennial survey to track teacher workload, starting in spring 2016.This is an important part of our action plan, published in our response to the Workload Challenge survey, to remove unnecessary teacher workload. In total, 43,832 people accessed the survey and 20,533 of those provided substaitive answers to one or more of the open questions. We have set up three review groups to address the three biggest issues emerging from the Workload Challenge – ineffective marking, use of planning and resources, and data management.

Class Sizes

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to increase the ratio of teachers to students in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The number of teachers in our schools is at an all-time high. There are now 454,900 full time equivalent (FTE) teachers, up 5,200 from last year and 13,100 from 2010.Pupil teacher ratios (PTRs) remain low in both primary and secondary schools and have stayed relatively stable despite the growing number of pupils. A time series of the latest pupil teacher ratios can be found online at: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-workforce-in-england-november-2014More information can be found in the published TSM model and model user guide, which is available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-supply-model.

Ministry of Justice

Criminal Proceedings

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2015 to Question 18370, on criminal proceedings, how many (a) men and (b) women make up the 9,578 figure; and what the sex of the lead defendant was in each case.

Mike Penning: Of the 9,578 cases where there were one or more defendants, there were 24,619 defendants in total. Of these, 20,877 were male and 3,603 were female. The remaining defendants were recorded as companies or unknown. To identify the lead defendant would not be possible without incurring disproportionate costs.

Forced Marriage: West Yorkshire

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many forced marriage prevention orders have been issued in West Yorkshire since the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 came into force.

Caroline Dinenage: Since November 2008 (when the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 came into force) there have been 118 Force Marriage Protection Orders issued in total in West Yorkshire.

Just Solutions International: Staff

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2015 to Question HL2604, what the cost to the public purse is of salary, expenses and bonuses of the 3.5 full-time staff who worked under the JSi brand.

Andrew Selous: As was stated in the Answer to HL 2604, the 3.5 full time equivalent staff who worked under the Just Solutions International (JSi) brand also worked on other core business within the National offender Management Service. Exact calculations were not made to apportion staff time, salaries, expenses or bonuses on JSi.

Prisons: Deeds of Covenant

Mr David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what account the prison estates review took of the existence of restrictive covenants prior to the Government's announcement of the programme of prison closures and new prison construction.

Mr David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department knew of any restrictive covenant on the use and disposal of HMP Holloway, the land upon which it is situated or its buildings before publication of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

Mr David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what restrictive covenants exist on the use and disposal of each prison establishment in England and Wales.

Andrew Selous: We will consider what impact the existence of any restrictive covenant would have on any future closures and new prison sites. Providing a list of restrictive covenants on the use and disposal of each prison in England and Wales could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Sentencing: Mothers

Mr Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of whether the current sentencing framework for mothers with children takes sufficient account of the needs of those children.

Caroline Dinenage: Sentencing guidelines are issued by the independent Sentencing Council. They are available on the Sentencing Council website. They confirm that the gender of the offender is irrelevant for sentencing purposes in accordance with Equalities duties. They also confirm that where the offender is the sole or primary carer for dependent relatives, this should be taken into account for sentencing purposes as a mitigating factor.

Open Prisons

Christina Rees: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners were in open prisons (a) in the most recent period for which figures are available and (b) in each of the last five years.

Andrew Selous: Progression to open prisons is never automatic, and prisoners must generally be within two years of release before they can be considered for allocation. Public protection is paramount, only those prisoners who are assessed as low risk of escape/abscond and low risk of causing harm to the public are transferred to an open prison.The following table shows the number of male and female prisoners held in open prisons as at the last Friday in June in each of the last five years and as at the last Friday in November 2015, which is the most recent period for which figures are available.The data below does not include the number of male and female prisoners held in category D units in otherwise closed prisons.Number of male and female prisoners held in dedicated open prisons from June 2011 to November 2015.DatePopulationJune 20114,808June 20124,953June 20134,981June 20145,087June 20155,020November 20155,137

Human Rights Act 1998: Prosecutions

Richard  Arkless: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prosecutions were brought to court under the provisions of the Human Rights Act in each year since 2005.

Dominic Raab: Prosecutions are not brought under the provisions of the Human Rights Act. A person may bring a civil claim under the Act or rely on Convention rights in any legal proceedings.

National Offender Management Service: Corruption

Mary Glindon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many NOMS staff have been dismissed for corruption in each of the last five years.

Andrew Selous: The vast majority of NOMS staff undertake their duties with honesty and integrity. However, like all large organisations a minority of staff engage in corrupt activity. This is particularly challenging for NOMS given its role. We are committed to ensure that corruption will be investigated and eliminated to ensure prisons remain a safe and secure environment for staff, prisoners and visitors. Allegations against staff that are potentially criminal in nature are referred to the police for investigation.A Corruption Prevention Unit delivers the key elements of the Agency’s corruption prevention strategy, including: detection, enforcement, training and support for staff. As part of this work NOMS collates records centrally of staff dismissed for offences which meet its definition of corruption.The number of dismissals over the last five years of NOMS staff for corruption related offences has been provided in the table below.YearDismissals201016201117201214201316201416Total79Notes:Data covers staff directly employed by NOMS and not contractor staff.The information provided has been drawn from live administrative data systems which may be amended at any time. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.

Pregnant Women: Discrimination

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many tribunal cases there were related to (a) section 17 of the Equalities Act 2010, non-work pregnancy and maternity discrimination and (b) section 18 of the Equalities Act 2010, workplace pregnancy and maternity discrimination in each of the last five years.

Mr Shailesh Vara: Cases relating to Section 17 of the Equality Act 2010, non-work pregnancy and maternity discrimination, are dealt with in the civil courts. This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.The number of cases relating to Section 18 of the Equality Act 2010, workplace pregnancy and maternity discrimination, which have been received by the Employment Tribunal can be found in the statistics published athttps://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/tribunals-and-gender-recognition-certificate-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2015.

Police: Prosecutions

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that police officers are aware of the outcome of prosecutions in which they have been involved.

Mike Penning: Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service, through its IT systems, passes data onto the police national computer so that records of convictions and sentences can be maintained by the police.

Offenders: Fines

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answers of 10 December 2015 to Questions 19024, 19025 and 19026, what the average administrative costs per offender of recovering money from offenders in court-ordered financial impositions were in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16 to date.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answers of 10 December 2015 to Questions 19024, 19025 and 19026, what the average amount owed per offender in court-ordered financial impositions was in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16 to date.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answers of 10 December 2015 to Questions 19024, 19025 and 19026, what the total administrative costs were of recovering money from offenders in court-ordered financial impositions in April to September (a) 2014 and (b) 2015.

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answers of 10 December 2015 to Questions 19024, 19025 and 19026, how much was owed by offenders in court-ordered financial impositions in April to September (a) 2014 and (b) 2015.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The total outstanding balance of financial impositions (regardless of year of imposition and excluding confiscation orders) at the end of September 2014 and at the end of September 2015 is published as part of the Criminal Court Statistics (Quarterly) publication which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-quarterly-july-to-september-2015The administrative costs of compliance and enforcement activity within HM Courts and Tribunals Service in the periods April to September 2014 and April to September 2015 were as follows:Costs (£m)2014-152015-16Staffing costs£19.88£19.39Non staffing costs£3.24£3.56Total costs£23.12£22.95The figures provided represent a ‘snapshot’ position at the end of September in each respective financial year. The staffing costs include permanent staff, Fixed Term Contract staff and Agency Staff. The Non-Staffing costs include Estate Costs (Utilities, Rent, Maintenance), IT, Telephony and other contracted service costs, Printing and Postage, Arrest Warrant Execution costs, and Travel & Subsistence costs.It is not possible to identify or calculate the average amount owed per offender; offenders can have multiple financial imposition accounts recorded against them where they have been convicted of separate offences.Calculating what the average administrative costs per offender were would incur disproportionate cost.

Mentally Disordered Offenders

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many psychiatric assessments have been requested by judges in each of the last 10 years.

Mr Shailesh Vara: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Ministry of Justice: Public Expenditure

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what costs his Department has incurred as a result of its policy change on (a) criminal court charges, (b) secure colleges, (c) the Saudi Arabian prison contract and (d) the closure of Just Solutions International.

Andrew Selous: I refer the honourable member to the answers given to PQ 19256 on 14 December 2015 (part a) and 13074 on 7 December 2015 (parts b, c and d). The closure of the JSi brand was also met from within the National Offender Management Service’s existing resources.

Child Abuse in North Wales Judicial Inquiry Review

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has received the report of Lady Justice Macur on Sir Ronald Waterhouse's inquiry into the abuse of children in care in the former Gwynedd and Clwyd Council areas of North Wales between 1974 and 1996.

Caroline Dinenage: On 10 December Lady Justice Macur delivered her report to the Secretary of State for Justice and the Secretary of State for Wales.   It is being considered as a matter of urgency with a view to publication as soon as possible.   The Secretary of State for Justice and the Secretary of State for Wales are very grateful to Lady Justice Macur for her work on this important matter over the last three years.

Leader of the House

Ministerial Corrections

Louise Haigh: To ask the Leader of the House, how many ministerial corrections have been issued in the current session of Parliament by each Department.

Chris Grayling: Information on the issuing of ministerial corrections is not collated centrally. However, the information in the table below was provided by Parliamentary Search on 15 December 2015. It should be noted that the information relates to ministerial corrections given in both Houses to answered questions or written statements, as well as corrections to oral answers and other contributions. The information does not contain those occasions when Ministers wish to make a correction in terms which would not comply with the criteria relating to written ministerial corrections and therefore do so by means of a written ministerial statement.DepartmentMinisterial CorrectionsAttorney General’s Office1Department for Business, Innovation and Skills8Cabinet Office6Department for Communities and Local Government1Department for Culture, Media and Sport8Department for Education8Department for Energy and Climate Change4Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs6Foreign and Commonwealth Office3Department of Health16Home Office10Department for International Development2Ministry of Defence7Ministry of Justice11Department for Transport6HM Treasury2Wales Office1Department for Work and Pensions4

Private Members' Bills

Thangam Debbonaire: To ask the Leader of the House, what plans he has to reform timetabling of private members' bills; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The Government has no plans to change the timetabling of private members' bills.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Families

Caroline Ansell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what training his Department has provided to staff on the family test; what other steps he has taken to raise awareness of the family test among staff of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014. DWP published guidance for Departments and officials on how the test should be applied when formulating policy and my Department follows that guidance -FamilyTestGuidance.Officials in my Department have liaised with DWP as the lead Department for the Family Test to embed it into the policy process. This could include training officials on applying the Test and disseminating relevant evidence, learning materials and best practice.

Broadband

Richard  Arkless: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government is taking steps to promote satellite broadband access in areas where fixed line broadband is limited or available at slower speeds than average.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Government’s Universal Service Commitment will allow universal access to speeds of at least 2 Megabits per secondto any household in the UK,through the option of satellite broadband connections by the end of 2015.

Working Class Movement Library: Salford

Rebecca Long Bailey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to paragraphs 1.207 to 1.212 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015, whether financial support will be provided to the Working Class Movement Library in Salford.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Working Class Movement Library is a private reference library and archive, run by a charitable trust. The most effective archives develop strong funding models to support sustainable, resilient and innovative services. The National Archives’ website provides information to help archive services develop fundraising strategies, identify appropriate funding sources and explore a range of fundraising techniques. More information can be found at:http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archives-sector/finding-funding.htm

Cybercrime: Small Businesses

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the level of awareness among (a) micro, (b) small and (c) medium-sized enterprises of the Cyber Essentials programme.

Mr Edward Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have carried out an extensive range of activity to promote Cyber Essentials since the scheme launched in June 2014. This includeswork with trade organisations (such as the Federation of Small Businesses and the British Chambers of Commerce); inclusion of Cyber Essentials in Government cyber security guidance; the requirement for suppliers to hold a Cyber Essentials certificate for certain Government contracts; marketing and communications activity, including Cyber Essentials embedded in the Cyber Streetwise campaign for small businesses; plus an ongoing programme of events, conferences, industry engagement and Ministerial activity.

Broadband: Yorkshire and the Humber

Craig Whittaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent progress he has made on the delivery of superfast broadband in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Mr Edward Vaizey: According to Ofcom’s Communications Market Report published in August 2015, superfast broadband coverage was at 78% across the Yorkshire and the Humber region. The full report can be found here -http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/infrastructure/2015/downloads/connected_nations2015.pdf.As a result of the Government's Superfast Broadband Programme, well over 250,000 Additional homes and businesses now have access to superfast broadband in the Yorkshire and the Humber region.

Bookmakers: Codes of Practice

Carolyn Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an assessment of whether the Code of Conduct for bookmakers is meeting the aims for which it was drawn up.

Tracey Crouch: All betting shop operators are required by the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Code of Practice to have social responsibility policies and processes in place. In addition, the industry trade body the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB) has a mandatory code of conduct in place, which is reviewed regularly to evaluate its effectiveness.I have explained to the industry that I expect them to demonstrate that they are improving existing player protection initiatives and evaluating the effects of previous initiatives. As I said at the recent RGT harm minimisation conference, government and industry should never feel that there is an end point to social responsibility. Industry owes a duty of care to its customers.

Tourism: Summertime

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits to tourism of using daylight saving time all year.

Tracey Crouch: The Government has not made any recent assessments of the potential benefits of using daylight saving time all year. The Government has no plans to consider any changes in this area in the absence of consensus across the UK.

Football: Sponsorship

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many elite football hubs his Department is co-sponsoring with the Football Association in 2016.

Tracey Crouch: The Government's partnership with the Football Association to improve grassroots football facilities and coaching will see the first two football hubs completed in Sheffield by summer 2016. Advanced discussions are also underway for further hubs in the other pilot local authorities of Liverpool and Birmingham. Other partners are expected to support a shared ambition for over £200 million of total funding to the 'Parklife' programme that aims to deliver up to 150 new football hubs in 30 English cities by 2020.

Department for Work and Pensions

Food Banks

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Oral Contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions of 7 December 2015, Official Report, column 693, (a) which food banks he visited and (b) on which dates those visits took place in the last 12 months.

Justin Tomlinson: The Department does not hold the information requested. Ministers have conducted visits to food banks in various capacities, including in their roles as Members of Parliament.

Pensioners: British Nationals Abroad

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of Britain's exit from the EU on access to pensions for older British citizens who are resident in other EU countries.

Priti Patel: The Prime Minister believes Britain’s best future lies within a reformed European Union. He is focused on addressing the concerns of the British people and is confident that the right agreement can be reached.

Employment and Support Allowance

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of reducing the work-related activity group employment and support allowance rate on the number of claimants who move into employment.

Priti Patel: The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in Bill on 20th July.Ministers have considered impacts with regard to all relevant legal obligations when formulating the welfare policies announced in the Bill.The intended impact of these reforms is to incentivise work and ensure work always pays.

Employment and Support Allowance

Mr Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will issue a response to the report entitled Halving the Gap by Lord Law of Dalton, Baroness Meacher and Baroness Grey-Thompson, published in December 2015.

Priti Patel: The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in Bill on 20th July and we will review all reports which relate to the Welfare Reform and Work Bill.

Housing Benefit: Universal Credit

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what transitional arrangements are being made for local authority employees who administer housing benefit when responsibility for that benefit moves to universal credit.

Priti Patel: Any transitional arrangements are the responsibility of the Local Authority, but we will work with them to manage the impact of these changes in a way which minimises the need for any redundancies. Where this does not prove possible, after the exercise of all reasonable efforts to redeploy people, the Department has given Local Authorities a commitment that we will meet their costs of any residual redundancies.

Access to Work Programme

Neil Coyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many disabled people have benefitted from the Government's extension of the Access to Work scheme to cover work experience placements in the last two years; and how the £2 million allocated to that initiative has been spent.

Justin Tomlinson: We do not hold official statistics to the standard of the National Statistical Authority and so are unable to provide this information.Access to Work supported 36,760 disabled people to take up or remain in employment during 2014/15 (up from 35,560 in 2013/14).

Jobcentre Plus: Floods

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what contingency plans his Department has put in place to support people unable to reach Jobcentre Plus appointments as a result of recent flooding.

Priti Patel: When a claimant is unable to attend a scheduled appointment at the Jobcentre, we will look to re-arrange for a more convenient time.Due to the recent flooding, where we are aware claimants are experiencing travelling difficulties in attending JCP appointments, we are contacting them to discuss alternative arrangements including excusal of attendance.

Seasonal Workers: Floods

Mr Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support his Department is giving to seasonal workers who have been affected by recent flooding.

Priti Patel: Jobcentres in areas affected by the recent flooding have ensured staff and work coaches are available to support any increase in immediate claims. Work coaches will provide an individually tailored service to help and support their return to work as quickly as possible. Those workers affected by the recent flooding are referred to employers who are still recruiting.We would urge those affected, who have not already done so, to contact their local Jobcentre at their earliest opportunity.

Personal Independence Payment

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons recipients of personal independence payments are called for reassessment.

Justin Tomlinson: Personal Independence Payment is designed to ensure decisions on entitlement, award lengths and timing of reviews are appropriate and evidence-based.All ongoing awards, regardless of duration, will be reviewed periodically to ensure that the individual continues to receive the correct amount of benefit. Where we have sufficient evidence to do so, we will conduct a paper based assessment without the need for the claimant to attend a face to face assessment.The claimant can also ask for a review if the daily living needs or mobility needs arising change.Reviews can result in a higher or lower award or no change.

Personal Independence Payment

Louise Haigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many reassessments have been carried out for personal independent payments since the introduction of that payment.

Justin Tomlinson: Information on the number of individuals on Disability Living Allowance that have been reassessed for Personal Independence Payment is available using Stat-Xplore: https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/. Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore is available here: https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html.

Guide Dogs

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure suitable training and accreditation for support dogs.

Justin Tomlinson: Standards for assistance dogs are maintained on the basis of a voluntary regulatory framework. There is no specific legislation for the regulation of assistance dogs.

Autism: Guide Dogs

Mr Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will extend the eligibility to apply for a registered assistance dog to adults with autism.

Justin Tomlinson: There is no register of assistance dogs. Assistance dogs are provided by charities and private sector organisations some of which are accredited member organisations of Assistance Dogs International or the International Guide Dog Federation. These organisations are responsible for making decisions on who they supply with an assistance dog.Responsibility for deciding what treatment is best for patients rests with the doctors concerned who are required to exercise their clinical judgement, in consultation with the patient and informed by a patient’s medical history.

Housing Benefit

Imran Hussain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that landlords receive rent from tenants who are in receipt of housing benefit.

Justin Tomlinson: Housing Benefit for claimants living in the social rented sector is paid direct to the landlord. Those renting in the private rented sector normally receive their benefit direct and are responsible for paying this over to their landlord. In certain circumstances the local authority can make direct payments to the landlord including when rent arrears of eight weeks or more have accrued and or when it would be in the best interest of the claimant to do so.Authorities are not required to make direct payments to landlords that are not a “fit and proper person” to receive it.The arrangements in Universal Credit allow for the housing costs element to be paid direct to the landlord where it is in the claimant’s or their families interests, including where the claimant is in rent arrears of the equivalent of two month’s rent.

Food Banks

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2015 to Question 18925, which visits referred to that (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department made included a visit to a food bank.

Justin Tomlinson: The Department does not hold the information requested. Ministers have conducted visits to food banks in various capacities, including in their roles as Members of Parliament.

Welfare Tax Credits: Universal Credit

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure a level transition for people moving from tax credits to universal credit in terms of the amount of benefits received; and if he will make a statement.

Priti Patel: We have put transitional protections in place to ensure that people on existing tax credits whose circumstances remain the same do not lose out in cash terms when they are transferred on to Universal Credit.We will introduce regulations to give effect to these provisions in due course.

Ministry of Defence

France: Nuclear Weapons

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which memoranda of understanding have been agreed with the French government in support of Project Teutates.

Michael Fallon: The UK has three arrangements with France in support of the Teutates programme. The first is between the UK and French Nuclear Safety regulators to ensure safety of operations, and the second and third are between the Ministry of Defence and the Commissariat l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) to support the construction of the Epure facility at Valduc.

France: Nuclear Weapons

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) joint Anglo-French and (b) solely French experiments have been conducted using (i) laser and (ii) hydrodynamics facilities at Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston to date.

Michael Fallon: I am withholding details of such experiments as their disclosure would prejudice national security and could prejudice relations between the United Kingdom and another State.

AWE Aldermaston

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 19 June 2013, Official Report, column 718W, on AWE Aldermaston, what the final write-off costs were of the cancellation of Project Hydrus at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.

Michael Fallon: The final write off costs for the termination of Project Hydrus were £117.7 million. The hydrodynamics testing capability will now be delivered through the joint UK and France programme, Project Teutates. Components valued at £71 million which were constructed under Project Hydrus have subsequently been incorporated into Project Teutates.

Trident

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Answer of 26 September 2014 to Question 209770 asked by the hon. Member for Moray, how much his Department has spent on studies on whether to refurbish or replace the existing Trident warhead design to date.

Michael Fallon: As of the end of the last financial year (March 2015), the Ministry of Defence had spent £80 million on technology studies to support refurbishment of the current system and explore options for a potential future warhead, and £5.5 million on studies to support the decision whether to refurbish or replace the existing warhead.

France: Nuclear Weapons

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the in-service dates are for the Technology Development Centre at the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston and the Epure facility at the CEA site at Valduc; and when UK experiments are scheduled to commence at Epure.

Michael Fallon: The Technology Development Centre and the Epure facility have been in service since 2014, in line with Teutates Treaty requirements. UK personnel are carrying out preparatory activities for UK trials at the Epure facility, including devising an experimental schedule.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many of the Watchkeeper unmanned aerial vehicles purchased from Thales have been handed over to the British Army.

Mr Philip Dunne: As at 15 December 2015, 37 Watchkeeper Unmanned Air Vehicles have been delivered by Thales and accepted by the Ministry of Defence. Of these, 10 are currently held by the Army to meet its current flying training programme and readiness requirements. The remainder are either being used for flight trials at West Wales Airport, or being stored and maintained until required by the Army.

Syria: Military Intervention

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Prime Minister's oral contribution of 2 December 2015, Official Report, column 333, on ISIL in Syria, how many of the 70,000 fighters have presented themselves to work with UK forces.

Michael Fallon: I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the right hon. Member for New Forest East (Dr Julian Lewis) on 1 December 2015 to Question 18014.



Syria Armed Conflict
(Word Document, 15.46 KB)

Middle East: Military Intervention

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK combat aircraft are flying combat missions against ISIS in (a) Syria and (b) Iraq.

Michael Fallon: The UK has 16 manned combat aircraft flying combat missions against Daesh in both Syria and Iraq. This number includes RAF Tornado and Typhoon aircraft. There are also a number of RAF Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) deployed to the Middle East that are flying combat missions in both Iraqi and Syrian airspace.

Syria: Military Intervention

Angus Brendan MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many non-UK (a) nations and (b) planes were flying combat missions in Syria against ISIS on the last date for which figures are available.

Michael Fallon: In addition to the UK, the other coalition partners that have flown combat missions in Syria against Daesh are the United States of America, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The number of aircraft that our coalition partners have in the region flying combat operations in Syria is not held by the MOD.

Ballistic Missile Defence: Radar

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 4.16 of the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, where the ground-based Ballistic Missile Defence radar will be based; and when that radar will enter operation.

Mr Philip Dunne: We have not yet made decisions as to the exact capabilities required of the radar or where it will be sited - this will be determined in due course.

Home Office

Community Engagement Forum

Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many meetings of the Community Engagement Forum have taken place in 2015 to date; and how many such meetings are planned in the next 12 months.

Ms Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many representatives from (a) England, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Scotland and (d) Wales attended each meeting of the Community Engagement Forum to date.

Karen Bradley: In his speech on countering extremism on 20 July, the Prime MInister said that he wanted to hear directly from all those in our society who are tackling extremism. The Community Engagement Forum is one of the ways the Prime Minister plans to do this. The Forum provides a platform for people to share their experiences and learn from each other. Attendance varies from meeting to meeting to ensure Ministers can hear from a wide range of people.To date, the Community Engagement Forum has met on 13 October 2015 and 19 November 2015. The attendees have been from a wide range of backgrounds and were representing interests at both a local and national level.Further Forums are planned for 2016.

Vetting: Dorset

Michael Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the range of waiting times is for the return of Disclosure and Barring Service documentation for applications in Dorset.

Karen Bradley: The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) measures its performance against a set of Published Service Standards (PSS). Performance data applying to certificates dispatched to people whose applications were made from a Dorset postcode between 1 December 2014 and 30 November 2015 are contained in the table below. Current performance levels reflect a number of challenges for Dorset Police, including delivering an upgraded IT system. The DBS has agreed a recovery plan with Dorset Police. This will mean additional staff are recruited to enable it to improve its disclosure turnaround times.MeasureNational TargetPerformance in DorsetAll within 56 Calendar days95%82.7%All within 21 Calendar days85%75.7%All E-Bulk (or electronic applications) within 21 Calendar days88%77.9%All Paper within 21 Calendar days82%70.5%

Cybercrime

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the position of cyber crime in the published lists of priorities of Police and Crime Commissioners.

Mike Penning: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Refugees: Syria

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding will be provided to local authorities for each Syrian refugee they resettle in the (a) first and (b) second year of resettlement.

Richard Harrington: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Temporary Exclusion Orders

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many temporary exclusion orders have been issued since the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 came into force; how many of those orders resulted in the individual (a) being excluded from the UK and (b) returning to the UK with obligations placed on them; and of those allowed to return how many were relocated in the UK on their return.

Mr John Hayes: The Government will publish information about the use of temporary exclusion orders as part of a wider report including information about the use of other investigative and disruptive powers. As a new power which can only become available this year, TEOs will be inculded in next year's report which will cover the use of powers in 2015.

Money Laundering: Criminal Investigation

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many investigations the National Crime Agency has launched into money laundering offences in each of the last three years; and how many of those investigations resulted (a) from a referral from the Financial Conduct Authority and (b) in a prosecution.

Mike Penning: The National Crime Agency (NCA) became operational on 7th October 2013. Since that date the NCA has launched over 80 investigations where money laundering has been identified as a threat. In addition, in some investigations money laundering may not be identified at the outset but instead becomes a focus later on in the course of the investigation.Between 7th October 2013 – 31st March 2015, NCA activity has led to 156 prosecutions for money laundering offences.The NCA receives its intelligence from multiple sources, including partner agencies, but does not routinely provide detailed information on its sources in order to protect its operations.

Asylum: Wigan

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when officials of her Department last visited the asylum seekers staying at the Britannia Hotel in Wigan.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Immigration Controls

Andrea Jenkyns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish her Department's exit checks data relating to all UK ports and airports for destination (a) within and (b) outside the EU.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office introduced exit cecks from 8 April 2015 to provide more comphrehensive information on travel movements across the UK border since that date. My Department has informed the Office of National Statistics that it is considering the use of exit checks data for statistical reporting purposes, and plans to publish an initial report in May 2016. Any data published will be subject to the usual data assurance standards.

Asylum: Gambia

Patrick Grady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many applications for asylum in the UK have been (a) made by and (b) granted to citizens of The Gambia in each year since 2010.

James Brokenshire: The table below shows the number of asylum applications, initial decisions and total grants in the UK from nationals of The Gambia (main applicants), in each year since 2010 and Q1- Q3 of 2015.Asylum applications, initial decisions and total grants in the UK (main applicants), for nationals of The Gambia, 2010 to 2014, and Q1-Q3 2015Year/QuarterTotal applications Total initial decisions (1) Total grants (2) 20102442658620112672307820123002651012013251199752014194191792015 Q1-Q313918456Source: Home Office, Immigration Statistics, June - September 2015, Table as_01 and Table as_01_q.(1) Initial decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period and exclude the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.(2) Total grants include: a) asylum grants b) Humanitarian Protection, c) Discretionary Leave, d) Grants under family and private life rules, e) Leave Outside the Rules, and f) UASC leave.The figures provided in the table are published by the Home Office in the Immigration Statistics release, in table as_01 and as_01qFigures on the number of asylum applications and initial decisions for main applicants by country of nationality are published quarterly by the Home Office in tables as_01 and as_01q of the immigration statistics release. The latest release (Immigration Statistics, July to September 2015) is available on the GOV.UK website:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2015

Police: Finance

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much of the Police Innovation Fund was allocated to police forces in financial years (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16.

Mike Penning: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Police: Bureaucracy

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential effect on police workloads of planned reductions in local authority funding on (a) emergency planning, (b) vulnerability strategies, (c) youth offending services, (d) anti-social behaviour strategies and (e) community safety strategies.

Mike Penning: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Refugees: Calais

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which Government Ministers or officials have visited the Calais refugee camp.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Refugees: Children

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many child refugees the Government granted asylum to in each of the last 24 months; and how many were from the Calais refugee camp.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Refugees: Calais

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations she has made to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees with regards to the Calais refugee camp.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Refugees: Calais

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refugees have (a) died and (b) been injured during an attempt to reach Britain from the Calais refugee camp.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Refugees: Humanitarian Aid

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what humanitarian support the Government is offering in refugee camps in (a) Lesbos, (b) Idomeni, (c) Calais, (d) Dunkirk and (e) other locations.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Employment: Crime

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the Government's response to the consultation on tackling exploitation in the labour market before the Immigration Bill completes its passage through Parliament.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Intelligence Services and Police: Europe

Mr Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many UK police and intelligence staff are based in (a) Europe and (b) Turkey; and if she will make a statement.

Mike Penning: Holding answer received on 17 December 2015



For national security reasons we do not disclose details of intelligence officers or counter terrorism police deployed or based abroad.In respect of wider policing we do not hold details of all overseas deployments by police forces. We only hold details of those deployments which provide assistance to an international organisation, foreign government or police service and therefore require authorisation from the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Home Secretary under the provisions of Section 26 of the Police Act (1996).

Scotland Office

Welfare State: Scotland

Richard  Arkless: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the effect of the Government's welfare programme on social and economic inequalities in Scotland.

David Mundell: We have fully assessed the impacts on equality of the measures in the Welfare Reform and Work Bill and the wider budget, meeting our obligations as set out in the Public Sector Equality Duty. The Government set out its assessment of the impacts of the policies in the Bill on 20 July.

HM Treasury

Freshfields Brukhaus Deringer: Legal Costs

Andy Slaughter: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much Freshfields Brukhaus Deringer has received in legal fees from the public purse since 2010.

Harriett Baldwin: Legal fees paid to Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in the last five financial years are as follows in the table below.SupplierYearSpendFreshfields Bruckhaus Deringer2010-11£0Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer2011-12£0Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer2012-13£0Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer2013-14£23,603Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer2014-15£1,920,914.24

Fuels: Seized Articles

Danny Kinahan: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the practice of HM Revenue & Customs is to deal with illegal fuel seized by that body.

Damian Hinds: Illegal fuel seized by HMRC is rendered into burning oil by contractors who are approved waste oil recyclers.

Small Businesses: Loans

Phil Boswell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what statistical information his Department holds on small- and medium-sized enterprises which have defaulted on a loan received through the Funding for Lending Scheme.

Phil Boswell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how his Department and the Bank of England assess the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises which have received a loan through the Funding for Lending scheme.

Phil Boswell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Bank of England is able to recover funds lent under the Funding for Lending Scheme from small and medium-sized enterprises which have subsequently defaulted on the loan.

Harriett Baldwin: The Bank of England does not lend directly to small and medium sized enterprises as part of the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS). Under the FLS, the Bank of England provides funding to UK banks and building societies participating in the scheme. The amount of funding participant banks and building societies are eligible to borrow from the Bank of England is determined by their net lending to certain sectors of the economy.

Banks: Loans

Phil Boswell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much of the £70 billion due to be allocated under the Funding for Lending Scheme has been allocated so far.

Phil Boswell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much from the Funding for Lending scheme has been lent to small and medium-sized enterprises in (a) Scotland and (b) Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill constituency.

Phil Boswell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much from the Funding for Lending scheme has been allocated (a) for lending on mortgages prior to the change in rules for such lending in 2014 and (b) for lending to small and medium-sized enterprises since the change in those rules.

Harriett Baldwin: UK banks and building societies that participate in in the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS) are able to borrow funding from the Bank of England, with the amount they are able to borrow (their ‘borrowing allowance’) linked to their net lending performance. FLS usage and lending data is published on the Bank of England website at the following link: http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/markets/Pages/FLS/extensiondata.aspx

Lloyds Banking Group

Richard Burgon: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his Written Statement of 2 June 2015, HCWS10, on the trading plan for government shares in Lloyds Banking Group, whether he set a target for the (a) number of shares to be sold and (b) price per share for Lloyds Banking Group at the time of that Statement.

Richard Burgon: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's announcement on Government shares in Lloyds Banking Group, published on 18 December 2014, whether he had set a target for the (a) number of shares to be sold and (b) price per share for Lloyds Banking Group at the time of that announcement.

Harriett Baldwin: In December 2014 the Chancellor launched a trading plan to sell the Government’s stake in Lloyds Banking Group, which has since been extended twice; in June and December 2015. The number of shares sold over the course of the trading plan is subject to an overall volume limit of up to but no more than 15% of the aggregate total trading volume in the LBG over the duration of the trading plan.The final amount sold will depend on market conditions, among other factors. Shares will not be sold below the average price the previous government paid for them, which was 73.6p.As outlined to the House at the time of the trading plan’s launch, a statement with further details will be laid before Parliament when the plan concludes.

Financial Ombudsman Service

Ian Austin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints were rejected by the Financial Ombudsman Service on the grounds of failure to meet the time limits for such complaints in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 to date.

Ian Austin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints were rejected by the Financial Ombudsman Service on grounds of jurisdiction in (a) 2013, (b) 2014 and (c) 2015 to date.

Harriett Baldwin: The issues raised are a matter for the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) who are operationally independent from Government.The questions have been passed on to the FOS. The FOS will reply directly to the Honorable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Small Businesses: Loans

Phil Boswell: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what funding criteria are set for small and medium-sized enterprises applying for a loan under the Funding for Lending Scheme.

Harriett Baldwin: The Bank of England does not lend directly to small and medium sized enterprises as part of the Funding for Lending Scheme (FLS). Under the FLS, the Bank of England provides funding to UK banks and building societies participating in the scheme. The amount of funding participant banks and building societies are eligible to borrow from the Bank of England is determined by their net lending to certain sectors of the economy.

Debts

Seema Malhotra: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to address the level of UK household debt.

Harriett Baldwin: Household debt as a proportion of income has fallen to 144 per cent in Q2 2015, from a peak of 168 per cent in Q1 2008. To avoid repeating the mistakes of the past we have created the independent Financial Policy Committee (FPC) within the Bank of England to ensure emerging risks and vulnerabilities across the financial system as a whole are identified, monitored and effectively addressed. The FPC recently re-affirmed its view that, given the actions it has taken, household indebtedness did not pose an imminent threat to financial stability.

Economic Growth

Seema Malhotra: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the effect of recent increases in household debt on economic growth.

Harriett Baldwin: Household debt as a proportion of income has fallen to 144 per cent in Q2 2015, from a peak of 168 per cent in Q1 2008. To avoid repeating the mistakes of the past we have created the independent Financial Policy Committee (FPC) within the Bank of England to ensure emerging risks and vulnerabilities across the financial system as a whole are identified, monitored and effectively addressed. Alongside this, the UK was the fastest growing economy in the G7 in 2014.

Minimum Wage

Tulip Siddiq: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) cases of national minimum wage compliance HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) National Minimum Wage Risk Unit has investigated, (b) Notices of Underpayment have been issued to employers for non-compliance, (c) employers have been fined the maximum amount for non-compliance and (d) employers have been taken to civil court or an employment tribunal by HMRC for failing to comply with the terms of a Notice of Underpayment in each of the last five years.

Mr David Gauke: The Government is committed to increasing compliance with minimum wage legislation and effective enforcement of it. Everyone who is entitled to the minimum wage should receive it. Employers who pay workers less than the minimum wage not only have to pay back arrears of wages at current minimum wage rates but also face financial penalties of up to £20,000 per underpaid worker.I refer the honourable member to the answer provided at UIN 17623 for information on the number of investigations undertaken.I refer the honourable member to the answer provided at UIN 16851 for information on Notices of Underpayment.Information on the number of maximum penalties issued is provided in the table below.Year10/1111/1212/1313/1414/15No. of employers fined the maximum amount 13 27 52 53 59I refer the honourable member to the answer provided at UIN 225468 for information on civil court and employment tribunals.

Revenue and Customs: Correspondence

Rob Marris: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when HM Revenue and Customs plans to respond to the letter to that body from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton South West of 22 October 2015 on Working Tax Credit overpayment, case reference ZA1151.

Damian Hinds: HM Revenue and Customs have no record of receiving a letter from the Hon Member dated 22 October regarding Working Tax Credit overpayments. However, if the Hon Member writes to me directly, I will ensure it gets a swift response.

Revenue and Customs: Correspondence

Rob Marris: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when HM Revenue and Customs plans to respond to the letter to that body from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton South West of 21 October 2015 on Tax credit application, our case reference ZA1147.

Damian Hinds: HMRC replied to the hon. Member’s letter on 16 December 2015.

Revenue and Customs: Correspondence

Rob Marris: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when HM Revenue and Customs plans to respond to the letter to that body from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton South West of 5 November 2015 on child tax credits, case reference ZA1426.

Damian Hinds: HMRC replied to hon. Member’s letter on 8 December 2015.

Help to Buy Scheme

Daniel Zeichner: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will revise the eligibility criteria for first time buyers under the Help to Buy ISA scheme to £450,000 in areas outside London where the average house price is above £250,000.

Harriett Baldwin: The government does not plan to revise the eligibility criteria for the Help to Buy: ISA scheme

Revenue and Customs: Northern Ireland

Jim Shannon: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what HM Revenue and Customs' plans are for jobs in Northern Ireland in the next five years.

Mr David Gauke: HMRC has a long-established presence in Northern Ireland. HMRC intends to increase the number of people it employs in the Province, opening a new Regional Centre in Belfast, from 2017-18, accommodating between 1,300 and 1,600 posts across a range of disciplines.

Insurance: Travel

Jim Shannon: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the insurance industry on steps that can be taken to ensure that people with cancer can access low-cost travel insurance.

Harriett Baldwin: Insurers take into account a range of different factors when considering risk and decisions concerning the pricing of insurance products are a commercial matter for individual insurers. The Government does not seek to intervene in these decisions.Information is available on the Cancer Research UK website for people seeking travel insurance who have been or are currently affected by cancer.The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) may be able to provide names of specialist brokers who can advise on the availability of appropriate travel insurance, and trawl the market for the best available deals.

Air Passenger Duty

Ian Austin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of (a) the current proportion of total UK Air Passenger Duty (APD) revenues raised from Birmingham Airport and (b) what proportion of total UK APD will be generated at Birmingham Airport if Scotland halves its APD rates.

Damian Hinds: Air Passenger Duty is payable by airlines and not on a per airport basis. Therefore HMRC does not collect the data to produce a reliable estimate.

Air Passenger Duty: Scotland

Ian Austin: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment on whether businesses in Dudley North constituency will be at a competitive disadvantage to businesses in Scotland when the Scottish Government halves the Air Passenger Duty for all flights leaving from Scotland.

Damian Hinds: The government is currently undertaking a consultation into options to support regional airports from the impacts of air passenger duty devolution. We are carefully considering the evidence we have received from stakeholders and will respond in due course.

Treasury: Cybercrime

Louise Haigh: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of employees in his Department have (a) taken the CESG Certified Cyber-Security Training Course and (b) received other cyber-security training.

Harriett Baldwin: One current HM Treasury employee has attended courses which are part of the CESG Certified Training (CCT) scheme, while three have attended other external training courses devoted entirely to Cyber Security. All HM Treasury’s employees periodically undertake online information assurance training which contains some cyber security related content, and are also provided with cyber security related guidance/advice on the Department’s intranet. All new employees have to attend induction training which contains some basic pointers on Cyber Security.

Emergency Services: Pensions

Alison McGovern: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, by when the Government expects to have compiled a list of all people eligible to receive payments as a result of the decision by the Pensions Ombudsman in the case of Mr. W. Milne.

Greg Hands: Payments to individuals affected by the ruling are being administered by relevant fire and rescue authorities and police forces. I understand that authorities have identified all affected individuals and are in the process of calculating the payments due. This Government is committed to ensuring a timely resolution to this issue.

Exports

John Mann: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what change there has been in export performance in each of the English regions in the last 12 months.

Harriett Baldwin: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) publishes the Regional Trade Statistics series on its website which can be accessed via the following link: https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/RTS/Pages/default.aspx

Cycling: Taxation

Daniel Zeichner: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2015 to Question 15349, if HM Revenue and Customs will expand the tax exemption associated with the Cycle to Work scheme to provide employees with access to tax-free physical activity accessories and personalised activity plans for themselves and their families.

Mr David Gauke: The tax exemption associated with the Cycle to Work scheme is for the loan or hire by an employer to an employee of a cycle or cyclist’s safety equipment. It was established to promote healthier journeys to work and to reduce environmental pollution. This and all other tax exemptions are kept under review.

Investment Trusts

James Cartlidge: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Financial Conduct Authority will conclude its investigation into issues relating to the Connaught fund and allow those affected to submit claims to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Harriett Baldwin: This is a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is operationally independent from Government.This question has been passed on to the FCA. They will reply directly to the Honourable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Banks: Access

Mr Mark Williams: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information his Department holds on the number of communities of 5,000 people or more in England where there is no bank branch within a radius of three miles.

Harriett Baldwin: The Government does not hold the information requested.Banks and building societies need to balance customer interests, market competition, and other commercial factors when considering their strategy. Decisions on the opening and closing of individual branches are taken by the management of each bank on a commercial basis without intervention from Government.The Government welcomed the industry-wide Access to Banking protocol announced in March 2015. From the first of May this year, each participating bank has committed to carry out a number of steps if it is closing a branch, including the preparation of meaningful local impact assessments. There is a commitment to a review of the operation of the protocol after one year, and the Government looks forward to its conclusions.The availability of alternative locations for accessing basic banking services is also important. The ongoing negotiation between the banks and the Post Office to agree a standard set of services – to be made available to personal and small business banking customers at Post Office counters across the country – remains vital. The Government is clear that completion of these negotiations should be a priority.

Apprentices: Taxation

Jo Stevens: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much the apprenticeship levy is expected to raise in (a) 2017-18, (b) 2018-19 and (c) 2019-20.

Greg Hands: The Apprenticeship Levy is expected to raise:£2,730m in 2017-18;£2,845m in 2018-19;£2,970m in 2019-20.  These figures are published in table 3.1 of the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015 document which is available on gov.uk.

Department for Energy and Climate Change

Carbon Emissions: China and USA

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what binding measures have been agreed at COP21 which commit China and the US to reducing their carbon emissions.

Andrea Leadsom: The 21st Conference of Parties (CoP) in Paris delivered an historic and unprecedented legally binding agreement that takes a significant step forward towards reducing, on a global scale, the emissions that cause climate change.For the first time, all countries, including China and the US, are legally bound to: set out their plans to reduce emissions; take domestic mitigation measures towards implementing those plans; revisit those plans every five years in light if a global stocktake of progress towards the long term goal in the Agreement; and report on progress made to implement and achieve these plans and subject their report to independent review and multilateral consideration.

Electricity Generation: Costs

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what comparative assessment she has made of the cost of generating electricity from existing (a) conventional hydro-electric and (b) gas fired plants.

Andrea Leadsom: In comparing the costs of different electricity technologies in the future, DECC typically use the levelised costs of electricity generation. Levelised costs include capital and operating costs over the lifetime of a plant, as well as DECC estimates of projected fuel and carbon costs.The most recent levelised cost estimates are available in the DECC Electricity Generation Costs report, available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/269888/131217_Electricity_Generation_costs_report_December_2013_Final.pdfThese include levelised cost estimates for (a) conventional hydro-electric sources and (b) gas fired plants.We are currently undertaking a comprehensive review of our evidence on levelised costs of electricity generation.The above levelised costs however do not take into account all of the wider positive or negative impacts that a plant may impose on the electricity system. So far, DECC’s electricity modelling has considered these wider whole system impacts through a system wide cost-benefit analysis. DECC is currently undertaking a project, which aims to further DECC’s understanding of the whole system impacts of electricity generation technologies.

Hydroelectric Power: Costs

Dr Paul Monaghan: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, when calculating grants and tax incentives whether her Department assesses the levelised cost of hydro plant over the expected actual lifespan or the shorter lifespan allowed in the levelised cost calculation when allocating grants and tax incentives.

Andrea Leadsom: In comparing the costs of different electricity technologies in the future, DECC typically use the levelised costs of electricity generation. Levelised costs include capital and operating costs over the lifetime of a plant, as well as DECC estimates of projected fuel and carbon costs.The most recent levelised cost estimates are available in the DECC Electricity Generation Costs report, available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/269888/131217_Electricity_Generation_costs_report_December_2013_Final.pdfFor hydro plants, DECC assumes a plant lifetime of 41 years for levelised cost purposes. This is taken from the below Arup report (section 6.8.4):https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/66176/Renewables_Obligation_consultation_-_review_of_generation_costs_and_deployment_potential.pdf.

Fossil Fuelled Power Stations

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what percentage contribution she expects (a) coal-fired power stations and (b) West Burton and Cottam power stations to make to UK energy supply in each of the next 10 years.

Andrea Leadsom: In DECC’s most recent reference scenario, the proportion of electricity produced in the UK (gross total electricity supplied) which will be generated by unabated coal-fired power stations over the next ten years is as follows:2016 24%2017 17%2018 17%2019 17%2020 14%2021 9%2022 7%2023 3%2024 2%2025 2% This excludes electricity supplied from other countries via interconnectors.The above data is taken from the reference scenario in Annex J of DECC’s 2015 Energy and Emissions Projections (calculated on 22nd October 2015).This and other scenarios with differing economic growth and fossil fuel prices are available online at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/updated-energy-and-emissions-projections-2015.With regards to part (b) of this question, we do not publish projections for individual power stations.

Nuclear Installations: Terrorism

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, whether she has reviewed the fitness-for-purpose of the UK Nuclear Industry Malicious Capability Planning Assessment to deal with attacks similar to those carried out recently in Paris and San Bernadino.

Andrea Leadsom: The security of the UK’s civil nuclear sector is of paramount importance to the Government. The Nuclear Industry Malicious Capability Planning Assumptions (NIMCA) provide a common basis for determining the sector’s required protective security posture. It is reviewed by DECC, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), and industry representatives on an annual basis. To ensure that the NIMCA assumptions remain appropriate, these annual reviews are supplemented with assessments of threat information provided by the police and the intelligence agencies on an ongoing basis. Additionally, the ONR maintains a permanent presence within the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which guarantees the fastest possible identification and notification of intelligence that might indicate changes to present and foreseeable threats to civil nuclear sites.

Climate Change Convention: Paris

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, which form of transport she used to travel to the COP21 climate change conference in Paris; and for what reasons she travelled by that mode of transport.

Andrea Leadsom: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 16th December 2015 to Question 19533:http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-12-10/19533/.

Methane: Arctic

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what discussions her Department has had with the Arctic Methane Emergency Group on ways to mitigate methane emissions from disruption of methane hydrates caused by climate change in the Arctic.

Andrea Leadsom: The Department has had no such direct discussions with the Arctic Methane Emergency Group. The best practical way to limit methane emissions due to the destabilisation of methane hydrates is to keep the rise in global temperatures as low as possible. The UK government’s recent push to secure an ambitious global climate deal was rewarded on 12 December in Paris, where the world witnessed a historic step forward to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. A global agreement of 195 countries, including the world’s largest emitters, have now committed to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and impacts of climate change

Northern Ireland Office

Police Service of Northern Ireland: Finance

Ruth Smeeth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what funding is being made available to the Police Service of Northern Ireland to investigate ongoing legacy issues.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: The UK Government has agreed to provide up to £150m over five years (£30m a year) to support the work of the new legacy bodies proposed in the Stormont House Agreement. We remain committed to establishing the new bodies and I will continue to work with the political parties, Northern Ireland Executive and victims groups to achieve broad consensus for the legislation needed to do this.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Ruth Smeeth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which victims' groups she plans to meet to discuss legacy issues over the next 12 months.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: I met the Victims Commissioner and the Victims and Survivors Forum this week. This Government has made greater progress on legacy issues than any of our predecessors and we remain committed to the delivery of the new bodies under the Stormont House Agreement. We will continue to engage with the political parties, Northern Ireland Executive and victims groups to achieve the consensus needed to bring forward legislation.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Ruth Smeeth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of her powers contained in the Stormont House Agreement to determine what can be disclosed to victims' families.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: The UK Government has made clear that it is committed to providing full disclosure to the Historical Investigations Unit (HIU) for the purpose of its investigations. This will give the HIU access to very sensitive information, including information which would, if disclosed generally, damage the UK’s national security and put lives at risk.As acknowledged in the Stormont House Agreement, the UK Government has a duty to ensure that sensitive information is not released publicly where to do so would put lives or national security at risk.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment she has made of loyalist paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: The Assessment of Paramilitary Groups published in October 2015 confirmed that all the main loyalist paramilitary groups remain in existence. It stated that the leaderships of the various groups are committed to their ceasefires but individual members continue to engage in criminality and also seek to exercise community control through unacceptable violence and intimidation.Paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland were not justified in the past and they are not justified today. I welcome the commitments contained within the Fresh Start Agreement aimed at achieving a Northern Ireland society free from the malign impact of paramilitarism.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what her assessment is of the implications for the peace process of recent reports of an increasing number of threats being made against community workers in Belfast by the UDA and other loyalist groups.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: As set out in the Assessment of Paramilitary Groups published in October 2015, individual members of loyalist paramilitary groups continue to engage in criminality and seek to exercise community control through violence and intimidation. However, the overall assessment remains that these organisations as a whole remain committed to their ceasefires. I welcome the commitments contained within the Fresh Start Agreement aimed at achieving a Northern Ireland society free from the malign impact of paramilitarism.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many sectarian attacks have been carried out by dissident republicans in each of the last five years.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: PSNI produce regular statistics on the security situation which are publicly available online. These do not specifically record ‘sectarian attacks’ by dissident republicans.Dissident republicans continue to represent a severe threat to national security. This year to date they have carried out 16 national security attacks in Northern Ireland.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans she has for pre-legislative scrutiny of proposals to implement new bodies to deal with the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: The UK Government remains committed to establishing the new bodies contained in the Stormont House Agreement and I will continue to work with the political parties, Northern Ireland Executive and victims groups to achieve the consensus needed for legislation. I will give consideration as to whether further drafting or documentation should be published as part of engagement on how to move forward on this issue.

Terrorism: Northern Ireland

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many sectarian attacks have been carried out by dissident republicans in 2015-16 to date.

Mrs Theresa Villiers: PSNI produce regular statistics on the security situation which are publicly available online. These do not specifically record ‘sectarian attacks’ by dissident republicans.Dissident republicans continue to represent a severe threat to national security. This year to date they have carried out 16 national security attacks in Northern Ireland.

UK Membership of EU: Republic of Ireland

Stephen Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with the Irish government on the implications for relations between the UK and the Republic of Ireland of the UK voting to leave the EU in the EU referendum.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Prime Minister believes that the UK’s best future lies within a reformed European Union. He is focused on addressing the concerns of the people of the United Kingdom and is confident that the right agreement can be reached.Northern Ireland Office Ministers meet regularly with Irish Government Ministers to discuss a range of issues and will continue to do so.

UK Membership of EU: Northern Ireland

Stephen Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the implications for Northern Ireland of the UK voting to leave the EU in the EU referendum.

Mr Ben Wallace: The Prime Minister believes that the UK’s best future lies within a reformed European Union. He is focused on addressing the concerns of the people of the United Kingdom and is confident that the right agreement can be reached.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Fisheries: Quotas

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proposals she plans to submit to the European Union Council of Fisheries Ministers on 14 and 15 December 2015 to safeguard fishing effort and quotas in terms of Cod, Haddock, Hake and Nephrops in the Irish Sea (Area VIIA); and if she will make a statement.

George Eustice: The UK Government worked hard to get the best possible deal for UK fish stocks and our fishing industry at the annual EU Fisheries Council, where fishing opportunities for 2016 were agreed. For fisheries in the Irish Sea we secured increased quotas for haddock, Nephrops and hake, a rollover of the 2015 quota for plaice, and kept a reduction for cod in line with the scientific advice. We also ensured that “days at sea” effort levels will be maintained at the existing level for all areas of the Cod Recovery Zone, including the Irish Sea.

Flood Control

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much of the £1.7 billion of capital spending on flood defences between 2010 and 2015 was disbursed in each of those years.

Rory Stewart: The following table sets out the capital spend on flood and coastal erosion risk management between 2010/11 and 2014/15.YearCapital Funding (£m)2010/113652011/12 2612012/132692013/143152014/15478

Greyhounds

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on how many greyhounds were retired from racing on the grounds of injury in each of the last five years.

George Eustice: Under the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010, there is no statutory requirement on any greyhound organisation or individual track to report any figures to Defra. The Regulations have now been in force for five years and Defra is currently undertaking a review of their effectiveness. The review is looking at the requirement on tracks to collect injury statistics and how they are then used; and the traceability of greyhounds after they have left the sport. Defra is currently consulting on the initial findings of the review as well as proposals for further action. Further proposals include agreement by the main industry regulator, the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), to begin publishing figures for the numbers of greyhounds injured at GBGB affiliated tracks each year, as well as the number of greyhounds that leave GBGB racing each year.

Cats: Trapping

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on how many cats have been caught in snares on (a) private and (b) public land in each of the last five years.

Rory Stewart: Defra does not have data on the numbers of non-target animals caught in traps, including snares.

Animal Welfare Act 2006

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what representations she has received in the last 12 months relating to enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

George Eustice: We have received several representations enquiring about various aspects of the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 over the last 12 months. They include representations on local authority powers under the 2006 Act, local authority resources and the ability of the RSPCA to bring forward prosecutions.

Animal Welfare: Sentencing

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will review the adequacy of the maximum sentences available to the courts for offences of cruelty to animals under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

George Eustice: The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence to cause an animal unnecessary suffering. Anyone found guilty of an offence under the Act can be subject to an unlimited fine and/or six months’ imprisonment.It is for the courts to decide on an appropriate penalty based on the individual circumstances of each case. To help magistrates to impose appropriate sentences and penalties they are provided with guidance in the form of the Magistrates’ Courts Sentencing Guidelines issued by the Sentencing Council. The guidelines give examples of offences, aggravating and mitigating factors, as well as the range of suggested sentences and penalties for various types of offences. The sentences currently imposed for such offences are not regularly set towards the upper end of the range. This suggests that courts are not finding their current sentencing powers inadequate.Nevertheless, Defra understands the concern that existing levels of punishment may be insufficient in some cases. Overall policy on sentencing is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and Defra Ministers have made sure that the MoJ is aware of these concerns.

Productivity: Rural Areas

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to implement the proposals in the Government's report entitled Towards a one nation economy: A 10-point plan for boosting rural productivity published in August 2015.

Rory Stewart: Implementing the Rural Productivity Plan requires collaboration across Government.We have already begun to implement the plan, for example announcing new Enterprise Zones in rural areas and small towns, assessing expressions of interest to deliver 30 hours of free childcare early implementers in some areas, including rural, from September 2016, and lastly, premises without basic broadband will have access to a subsidised satellite scheme by the end of December.By investing in education and skills, increasing wages, improving infrastructure and connectivity, and simplifying planning laws for rural businesses and communities, we will help create thriving rural areas where generations of families can open and expand their businesses, buy a home and educate their children at first class schools.

Pets: Poisoning

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an estimate of the number of (a) cats and (b) dogs killed by accidental ingestion of poisonous antifreeze in each of the last five years.

George Eustice: We have no estimates of the numbers of cats or dogs killed by antifreeze.However there are periodically reported cases where antifreeze may have contributed to the death of pet animals. This issue was most recently debated in Parliament on the 2 December 2014.www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm141202/halltext/141202h0002.htm#14120263000003

Animal Welfare

Sir David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the implications for its policies of the report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare, The Urgent Need for an Effective, Enforceable and Enforced Equine Identification System, published in February 2014; and if she will bring forward proposals for such a system to be in place before the end of the current Parliament.

George Eustice: Defra accepts that the current EU system for equine identification does not work well and has pushed for a strengthened regime which is fit for purpose throughout Europe. Defra is now working with the other Governments of the United Kingdom, enforcement authorities and the equine sector to implement a new EU regulation which will help to ensure the regime operates effectively and efficiently in the future.

Fishing Catches

Scott Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to change the distribution of Common Fisheries Policy quotas for inshore fishing fleets.

George Eustice: Defra is in the final stages of a permanent quota realignment exercise which will represent a 14% uplift in the amount of quota the inshore fleet currently receives.We have also announced that the inshore fleet will be the principal beneficiaries of any quota uplift received as a result of the introduction of the demersal landing obligation.For species subject to the discard ban from January 2016, we have announced that the non-sector pools will receive the first 100 tonnes of any quota uplift received and 10% of any remaining uplift. For 2016 this represents more than 1,000 tonnes of uplift to support the non-sector in their adaptation to the landing obligation and includes key stocks such as haddock, whiting and plaice.In the Celtic Sea there will be an estimated additional 126 tonnes of whiting and 142 tonnes of hake to support the non-sector.

Agriculture: Overseas Trade

Jo Churchill: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effect of her visit to China in November 2015 on opening up new markets to British farmers and producers.

Elizabeth Truss: During my visit to China I concluded deals to open the Chinese market to British barley and pigs trotters, together worth up to £190m over the next five years.I also presented the Chinese inspection authorities with a forward plan to open market access to UK poultry meat and beef and lamb.

Food

Mrs Sheryll Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to promote local food and drink.

George Eustice: The Government recognises the value that high-quality, locally produced food has to consumers, communities and the economy. The Great British Food Campaign will celebrate the achievements of British food and drink.2016 will be the Year of British Food. It will celebrate the quality and creativity of Britain’s producers, manufacturers, retailers and restaurateurs allowing everyone to benefit from the UK’s culinary heritage.

Department of Health

Midwives: Training

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to collect information centrally on how many specialist midwives have been trained in mental health.

Ben Gummer: The Department does not have any plans to collect this information.

Prisoners: Mental Illness

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to collect information centrally on how many people diagnosed with a mental health condition receive a custodial sentence.

Alistair Burt: The Department does not collect such data centrally.Health and wellbeing needs assessments (HNAs) provide information on the estimated prevalence of mental illness in individual prisons. All prisons are required to produce HNAs, and the Department will discuss with NHS England the potential to publish information on prison health at a national level.

Speech Therapy: Training

Geraint Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Health Education England to ensure that the number of speech and language therapy student commissions for 2016-17 is sufficient to meet demand.

Ben Gummer: Health Education England (HEE) has been established to ensure the National Health Service has access to the right numbers of staff, at the right time and with the right skills. In doing so, HEE works with key external stakeholders to develop its National Workforce Plan for England which sets out the number of training places it will commission in the year ahead. HEE will formally publish the National Workforce Plan for 2016-17 in January 2016.The National Workforce Plan for England 2015-16 outlines that commissions for Speech and Language Therapists has increased since 2014-15 by 3.7%.Ministers hold regular discussions with HEE on a broad range of workforce supply issues. The Government issues an annual Mandate to HEE setting its priorities for the coming year. HEE’s performance against the Mandate deliverables are monitored through regular accountability meetings.

Mental Health Services

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the spend per head of population was on mental health in (a) England, (b) the North West and (c) Lancashire in each of the last five years.

Alistair Burt: We do not have comparable figures for spending on mental health for all years requested as financial information reporting systems changed after 2013 with the formation of NHS England.Information is available on mental health spend by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in England, the North West and Lancashire for 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16 only. This information has been sourced from NHS England’s financial planning and reporting systems and data weighted on CCG populations. The per head spend on mental health services is as follows:England wide CCG spend per head on mental health services2013/14£1392014/15£1462015/16£150North West CCG spend per head on mental health services2013/14Unavailable – spend data incomplete for this year2014/15£1362015/16£139  Lancashire CCG spend per head on mental health services2013/14£1352014/15£1342015/16£137Source: NHS England

Thalidomide

Danny Kinahan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the annual cost is of the health needs of UK thalidomide survivors.

George Freeman: In addition to using NHS services, thalidomide survivors have access to health grants in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The grants are administered by the Thalidomide Trust and allocations in 2015 are set out in the following table.Allocations under the Thalidomide Health Grants in 2015CountryTotal Allocation (£000s)Number of beneficiariesEngland7,454325Scotland1,25455Wales78231Northern Ireland47219

Weather: Health Services

Mr Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the cost to the NHS was of treating cold-related admissions to hospitals in each year since 2010.

Jane Ellison: The information is not held centrally.

Social Services: Living Wage

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of introducing the national living wage into social care from April 2016.

Alistair Burt: Holding answer received on 15 December 2015



These estimates are a matter for HM Treasury.

NHS: Finance

Richard  Arkless: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how the Government plans to phase increases to funding for NHS England over the next five years; and what the Barnett consequentials of decisions on such phasing will be.

Alistair Burt: The Spending Review announced on 25 November the level of funding that the NHS in England would receive by 2020-21. The NHS will be receiving £10 billion more per year in real terms by 2020-21 than in 2014-15, which fully funds the NHS’ own plan – the ‘Five Year Forward View’. £6 billion of that £10 billion will be delivered by 2016-17. This is set out in the attached table.The exact budget profile for NHS England will be set out in the Mandate to NHS England, due to be published shortly.Under the Barnett Formula, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland receive a population-based proportion of changes in planned spending on comparable United Kingdom Government services in England. Changes in each devolved administration’s spending allocation, is determined by:- the quantity of the change in planned spending in departments of the United Kingdom Government; and- the extent to which the relevant United Kingdom programme is comparable with the services carried out by each devolved administration and each country’s population proportion.The allocation of public expenditure between the services, including health, under the control of the devolved administrations is for the devolved administrations to determine.



England NHS budget for each year to 2020-21
(Word Document, 13.87 KB)

Hospitals: Admissions

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people were (a) admitted to hospital and (b) attended A&E on grounds relating to (i) alcohol and (ii) obesity in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison: We are unable to provide the number of people who attended accident and emergency (A&E) on grounds relating to alcohol or obesity as the A&E diagnosis does not record this level of detail.The following table contains the sum of the estimated partly and wholly attributable alcohol fractions of all finished admission episodes (FAEs) for years 2009-10 to 2013-14. Alcohol fraction data is not yet available for the latest year of published data (2014-15) therefore we have provided figures for the five years from 2009-10 to 2013-14.Sum of partly and wholly attributable alcohol fractions1 of finished admission episodes (FAEs)2, using broad3 and narrow4 measures for 2009-10 to 2013-145Alcohol attributable admissionsYearBroad measureNarrow measurePartlyWhollyPartlyWholly2009-10607,400267,070216,760101,8702010-11670,250288,750223,300105,1702011-12693,810305,730224,910106,6802012-13711,840297,010222,700103,1602013-14751,500307,710225,190107,820Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information CentreWe have also provided a table containing the count of finished FAEs with a primary diagnosis of Obesity for the years from 2010-11 to 2014-15.A primary diagnosis is the main reason a patient was admitted to hospital, so this count would not include patients with specific conditions that are made more likely by obesity unless the obesity itself was the main reason for the admission.Count of FAEs2 with a primary diagnosis6 of Obesity7, 2010-11 to 2014-155YearObesity Admissions2010-1111,7402011-1211,9052012-1311,0912013-149,4622014-159,520Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sectorSource: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information CentreNotes:[1]Alcohol-related admissionsThe number of alcohol-related admissions is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO), which uses 48 indicators for alcohol-related illnesses, determining the proportion of a wide range of diseases and injuries that can be partly attributed to alcohol as well as those that are, by definition, wholly attributable to alcohol. Further information on these proportions can be found athttp://www.nwph.net/nwpho/publications/AlcoholAttributableFractions.pdfThe alcohol attributable fraction is set to 1 (100%) where the admission is considered to be entirely due to alcohol, e.g. in the case of alcoholic liver disease - these records are described as wholly alcohol attributable.The alcohol attributable fraction is set to a value greater than 0 but less than 1 according to the NWPHO definition, e.g. the alcohol fraction of an admission with a primary diagnosis of C00 - malignant neoplasm of lip, where the patient is male and between 65 and 74 is 0.44 - these records are described as partly alcohol attributable.These wholly and partly attributable fractions can be aggregated to supply an estimate of activity which can be considered wholly or partly attributable to alcohol.Partly alcohol attributable fractions are not applicable to children under 16. Therefore figures for this age group relate only to wholly-attributable admissions, where the attributable fraction is one.The application of the NWPHO methodology has recently been updated but is not currently available from HES.[2]Finished admission episodesA finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year or month in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the period.[3]Broad measureBroad measure – derived by summing the alcohol attributable fraction associated with each admission based on the diagnosis most strongly associated with alcohol out of all diagnoses (both primary and secondary).[4]Narrow measureNarrow measure – is constructed in a similar way but counts only the fraction associated with the diagnosis in the primary position or alcohol-related external causes recorded in secondary diagnosis fields.[5]Assessing growth through time (Admitted patient care)HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, changes in activity may be due to changes in the provision of care.[6]Primary diagnosisThe primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and 7 prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the HES data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital.[7]ICD-10 codesThe following ICD-10 codes were used to identify Obesity.

Department of Health: Mobile Phones

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much (a) his Department, (b) Public Health England, (c) NHS England and (d) each non-departmental public body spent on downloading apps for smartphones and similar devices in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison: Information about the cost of downloading apps for smartphones and similar devices in the Department and its arm’s length bodies for each of the last five years is in the tables below.The National Institute for Care and Excellence (NICE) is unable to provide a response to this question as it would incur disproportional cost to establish whether this information is held. We don’t have a separate expense code that would enable an easy search of this type of expenditure.Health Education England do not collect this data. Applications are usually purchased by the individual and claimed back through expenses.OrganisationCostDepartment of Health2011-12Nil2012-13Nil2013-14Nil2014-15Nil2015-16 to dateNilOrganisationCostCare Quality Commission2011-12Nil2012-13Nil2013-14Nil2014-15Nil2015-16 to dateNilOrganisationCostHuman Fertilisation and Embryology Authority2011-12Nil2012-13Nil2013-14Nil2014-15Nil2015-16 to dateNilOrganisationCostHealth and Social Care Information Centre2011-12Nil2012-13Nil2013-14Nil2014-15Nil2015-16 to dateNilOrganisationCostHealth Research Authority2011-12Nil2012-13Nil2013-14Nil2014-15Nil2015-16 to dateNilOrganisationCostHuman Tissue Authority2011-12Nil2012-13Nil2013-14Nil2014-15Nil2015-16 to dateNilOrganisationCostMonitor2011-12Nil2012-13Nil2013-14Nil2014-15Nil2015-16 to dateNilOrganisationCostNHS England2011-12Nil2012-13Nil2013-14Nil2014-15Nil2015-16 to dateNilOrganisationCostPublic Health England2011-12Nil2012-13Nil2013-14Nil2014-15Nil2015-16 to dateNilOrganisationCostHealth Research Authority2011-12Nil2012-13Nil2013-14Nil2014-15Nil2015-16 to dateNilNICE is unable to provide a response to this question as it would incur disproportional cost to establish whether this information is held. We don’t have a separate expense code that would enable an easy search of this type of expenditure.Health Education England do not collect this data. Applications are usually purchased by the individual and claimed back through expenses.

Sexually Transmitted Infections

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many cases of (a) herpes, (b) chlamydia, (c) HIV, (d) syphilis and (e) gonorrhoea were diagnosed in people of each age group in each constituent region of the UK in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison: While Public Health England (PHE) produces United Kingdom data tables for chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis (primary, secondary and early latent), data for each of the constituent regions is held by respective devolved administrations. The data for England for these infections are presented in tables 1-4 for the most recent five complete calendar years (2010-2014).Data on new HIV diagnoses for the constituent regions of the UK are held by PHE and Tables 5-8 present data for the years 2010-2014 by constituent region, age group and year of diagnosis.The data provided relates to the number of diagnoses rather than incidence of infection, and as such an increase in the number of diagnoses could be attributable to increased testing rates rather than an increase in infections. For example, local authorities are encouraged to offer universal access to testing and treatment for chlamydia for young people age 15-24 as part of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme. Increases in chlamdyia screening provision will result in increasing infections detected.Table 1: Anogenital herpes (first episode) diagnoses numbers in England by age group, 2010-14Age group20102011201220132014466050534615-194,1554,2954,2584,0324,09620-248,2048,8819,1309,1368,86325-349,5799,99610,43910,68710,68535-444,4604,4954,4024,5064,18745-643,0603,2223,2953,6553,55665+188197271266307Other68191437Total29,69831,15431,86432,34931,777[1][1] The Genitourinary Medicine Clinic Activity Dataset v2 (GUMCADv2) collects information on all STI diagnoses and services provided by GUM services in England. Data are published annually and provide information on trends in STI diagnoses and the provision of GUM services. Please see the following link for further information:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sexually-transmitted-infections-stis-annual-data-tablesChlamydia data for England are sourced from GUM service GUMCADv2 returns & data from community services. Data from community services are sourced from the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) & Non-NCSP/Non-GUM services for 2010-2011 & only include those aged 15-24. Community services’ data from 2012 onwards are sourced from the Chlamydia Testing Activity Dataset (CTAD) & include all ages. Therefore community services’ chlamydia data from 2012 onwards are not comparable to data from previous years. Chlamydia diagnoses from GUM services that were reported as ‘previously diagnosed at another service’ are excluded from data from 2012 onwards. These diagnoses have been reported via CTAD & are already included in the community services’ data. Chlamydia testing and diagnosis data for 15-24 year olds who are resident in England is published quarterly and annually (calendar year) on the National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) website: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-chlamydia-screening-programme-ncsp-data-tablesTable 2: Chlamydia diagnoses numbers in England by age group, 2012-14Age group20122013201413-141,0171,08188515-1961,04460,53357,26820-2482,60282,03081,22225-3446,17347,27849,31135-4411,06110,89011,62745-644,9684,9405,39965+260297299Other672802763Total207,797207,851206,774Note: Data from 2012 onwards are not comparable to data from previous yearsTable 3: Syphilis diagnoses numbers (primary, secondary and early latent) in England by age group, 2010-14Age group2010201120122013201413-140112015-19848779959320-2433436439734144525-348429779861,0831,42135-447728838059081,28845-6455755764275699765+4952414548Other968625Total2,6472,9272,9593,2364,317Table 4: Gonorrhoea diagnoses numbers in England by age group, 2010-14Age group2010201120122013201413-14424554616715-193,0173,2293,5453,9714,32320-244,9445,9197,0467,5808,88525-345,2466,9838,82410,55812,78835-442,2943,0563,8814,6075,60245-641,2341,7332,0662,4813,02865+5491108126165Unknown12345235100Total16,84321,09025,57629,41934,958Table 5: HIV diagnoses numbers in England by age group and year, 2010-14Age at diagnosis20102011201220132014636439322515-2462360164170166625-341,8831,8681,7841,8011,85135-441,8791,7531,7471,5241,42945-549559451,0409771,00855-6431932235031438865+9999139170192Total5,8215,6525,7405,5195,559Table 6: HIV diagnoses numbers in Wales by age group and year, 2010-14Age at diagnosis201020112012201320140011215-24231920192025-34495030415535-44424135324645-54253319304455-6410101271365+34339Total152157120133189  Table 7: HIV diagnoses numbers in Northern Ireland by age group and year, 2010-14Age at diagnosis201020112012201320141000015-241091461425-34292937292435-44242122253145-5420159241855-6425138565+03032Total8682959594Table 8: HIV diagnoses numbers in Scotland by age group and year, 2010-14Age at diagnosis201020112012201320147432415-24262926232425-341001039410010935-44829279818045-54493861414855-64191919211865+53456Total288288286273289[2][2] Age group data presented in tables 1-4 are consistent with the Annual STI publication: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sexually-transmitted-infections-stis-annual-data-tables. Age group category ‘65+’ includes those aged 65-99 only. Age group category ‘other’ includes those aged 0-12 & those with an unknown age.Data in tables 5-8 may change as further reports of HIV are received, at present data contains reports to the end of June 2015. Data include individuals who have an existing infection as well as those who have a newly acquired infection and therefore the data do not present incidence of infection. Areas presented reflect region of diagnosis, not of residence.

Everolimus

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with Solutions for Public Health on developing a draft commissioning policy for everolimus.

George Freeman: NHS England has a service level agreement in place with Solutions for Public Health (SPH), a NHS public health unit which forms part of the NHS Arden and Greater East Midlands Commissioning Support Unit.NHS England has commissioned SPH to provide impartial clinical evidence reviews. These clinical evidence reviews are undertaken independently in line with an agreed methodology and are a critical component in informing evidence based clinical commissioning policies for directly commissioned specialised services, based on the latest published research.However, SPH does not have any subsequent involvement in the development, drafting or consideration of NHS England’s clinical commissioning policies.

Everolimus

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions Solutions for Public Health has had with the European Medicines Agency and US Food and Drug Administration on developing a draft commissioning policy for everolimus.

George Freeman: Solutions for Public Health has confirmed that they have not had any discussions with either the European Medicines Agency or US Food and Drug Administration in relation to Everolimus.This is outside of the scope of the evidence review methodology commissioned by NHS England and would not be relevant to their role as a provider of stand-alone clinical evidence reviews.

Tuberous Sclerosis

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps NHS England is taking to develop an in-year draft commissioning policy for the use of everolimus to treat tuberous sclerosis complex.

George Freeman: NHS England is currently developing a clinical commissioning policy statement to cover the use of Everolimus in adults with angiomyolipoma in association with tuberous sclerosis complex, as part of its in-year policy work programme.In common with its standard process, NHS England has formed a policy working group and commissioned a clinical evidence review. This is now complete and is informing the development of a draft policy statement. The draft policy statement, along with the evidence review, will be shared and tested with stakeholders prior to formal consideration by NHS England in early 2016. The policy statement will be published in due course.In the meantime, NHS England will continue to consider funding this treatment for individual patients in clinically exceptional and/or critically urgent clinical circumstances.

Solutions for Public Health

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the budget of Solutions for Public Health has been in each of the last three years.

George Freeman: NHS England is unable to comment on the overall budgetary position of Solutions for Public Health (SPH). However, NHS England anticipates spending around £485,000 with SPH for the provision of stand-alone clinical evidence reviews in support of its specialised services clinical commissioning policy work plan in 2015/16.Equivalent expenditure with SPH in 2014/15 was £285,000 and £190,000 in 2013/14.

Solutions for Public Health

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what mechanisms his Department has for quality assurance of the work of Solutions for Public Health.

George Freeman: It is the responsibility of NHS England to quality assure the work of Solutions for Public Health (SPM).NHS England has a service level agreement in place with SPM and this sets out the terms under which stand-alone clinical evidence reviews are conducted and completed. The agreed methodology is based on best practice within the health sector and the collective experience of experts in public health and clinical effectiveness.As additional assurance, draft evidence reviews are tested prior to their completion with members of NHS England’s clinical reference groups, which include clinical and patient experts relevant to the service or speciality concerned from across England. Evidence reviews are also now shared as part of both informal stakeholder testing and formal public consultation alongside the draft clinical commissioning policies that they have informed.

Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which companies have left the voluntary pharmaceutical price regulation scheme in each month since January 2014 to date; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the financial effect of companies leaving the voluntary pharmaceutical price regulation scheme in the 2015-16 financial year.

Stephen Kinnock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on trends in the number of medicines supplied to the NHS of each of the three options set out in its recent consultation, Changes to the Statutory Scheme to Control the Prices of Branded Health Service Medicines, published on 10 September 2015; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman: Five companies have left the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme since January 2014 as follows:- Derma November 2014;- Genus (Thornton & Ross) November 2014;- Vifor May 2015;- Baxter October 2015; and- Martindale October 2015The Department estimates the financial effect to be a loss of around £10 million in 2015/16.The Department’s consultation on options to amend the statutory scheme to control prices of branded health service medicines closed on 4 December 2015. The consultation was accompanied by an Impact Assessment which can be accessed:https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/460011/Annex_C_Statutory_Scheme_2014_IA.pdfThe Department’s analysis in the Impact Assessment concludes that the options would reduce National Health Service spending on drugs without affecting the use of those drugs in the NHS. The consultation sought views, comments and evidence on the potential impacts and operation of the options to revise thestatutory branded prices scheme. The Department is considering the responses received and will respond to the consultation in early 2016.

Department of Health: Communication

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many press, communication and public relations staff are employed by (a) his Department, (b) Public Health England, (c) NHS England, (d) Monitor, (e) the Care Quality Commission, (f) the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, (g) NHS Blood and Transplant, (h) the NHS Litigation Authority, (i) the Trust Development Authority, (j) the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, (k) the Human Tissue Authority, (l) the NHS Business Service Authority, (m) Health Education England and (n) the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency; how many of those employees are paid more than (i) £50,000 and (ii) £100,000; and what the total expenditure was on press and communication by each of those organisations in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Jane Ellison: The Department of Health has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Ovarian Cancer

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what guidance his Department has issued to (a) clinical commissioning groups, (b) hospital trusts and (c) health and well-being boards on BRCA gene testing for (i) patients who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and (ii) people identified as likely to have the BRCA gene mutation due to their family history.

Jane Ellison: NHS England published a new Clinical Commissioning Policy on Genetic Testing for BRCA1/2 mutations in July 2015, based on updated guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. This policy applies to patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer and people likely to have the BRCA gene mutation due to their family history.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress has been made by (a) his Department and (b) NHS commissioners to ensure NHS services in England are meeting the six inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) standards set out by the IBD Standards Board in the 2013 Board Report; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison: The six inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) standards were published in 2013 by the IBD standards group, an independent organisation made up of a number of clinical professional organisations and the charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK. The standards were designed to support clinicians, commissioning organisations in developing IBD services locally and may be considered, if appropriate, alongside sources of guidance, such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).In February 2015, NICE published a Quality Standard (QS) for IBD. As part of the QS development process, the IBD Standards Group and other related organisations submitted evidence to help shape the four Quality Statements which constitute the QS. The NICE QSs are important in setting out to patients, the public, commissioners and providers the key elements of what a high quality service should look like in a particular area of care.

Department of Health: Buildings

Tulip Siddiq: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what refurbishments have been carried out by (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department's non-departmental public bodies since May 2010; what the cost of such refurbishments was; what further such refurbishments are planned; and what the estimated cost is of such planned refurbishments.

Jane Ellison: Theattached tables provide the cost of refurbishments carried out by the Department and its arm's length bodiessince May 2010, together with planned refurbishments and their estimated cost. Costs are in £’000.Exact financial plans for next year are yet to be determined following the Spending Review.



Arm's Length Bodies tables
(Word Document, 21.95 KB)

Blood: Contamination

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when compensation will be made available for those individuals infected by contaminated bloods.

Jane Ellison: As liability has not been established in the majority of cases, therefore it would not be appropriate to talk about payments in terms of compensation. Where liability has been established in a small number of individuals affected by HIV, hepatitis C or both infections through treatment with NHS-supplied blood or blood products before 1991, compensation has been paid. A consultation on proposals to reform the current payments schemes will be published in January 2016.

Blood: Contamination

Ms Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when the consultation document on contaminated bloods will be published.

Jane Ellison: The shape and structure of a new scheme will be decided following public consultation. The consultation document, including details of how those who are interested can provide a response, will be published in January.Following this consultation, taking into account the views that we receive, we will then work as quickly as possible to launch any scheme reform.

Antibiotics: Drug Resistance

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the incidence of (a) CRE and (b) other superbugs which are persistent to antibiotics.

Jane Ellison: The Government has already taken significant action to address carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae and other organisms that are resistant to antibiotics.The UK 5 Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy set out key steps for tackling organisms that are resistant to a range of antibiotics. As part of our strategy to reduce the incidence of such infections, we have tightened the regulatory aspects in England by revising the Health and Social Care Act Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections in July 2015. The revised Code strengthens links and references to antimicrobial resistance within primary and secondary care. Furthermore, the NHS Standard Contract published in March 2015 included amendments to require compliance with the Code of Practice. This enables regulators such as the Care Quality Commission to look at compliance with the Code within its inspection programme.At the same time, we have ensured that a range of guidance and tool kits have been produced to support healthcare staff to manage carbapenem-resistant enterobacteriaceae and other resistant bacteria. Public Health England has published updated standards in June 2015 covering additional training on infection and control, which includes a carbapenemese-resistant Enterobacteriaceae toolkit for the non-acute and community sector.In terms of surveillance of carbapenemase-resistant organisms, Public Health England has rolled out the second generation surveillance system for the reporting of notifiable infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance in December 2014. It has also developed an electronic system for reporting carbapenemase-producing organisms, to allow demographic and clinical risk information to be captured and analysed.

Vocal Cords: Transplant Surgery

Jim Shannon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of when vocal cord transplants will be available on the NHS.

Jane Ellison: NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) have not been approached regarding vocal cord transplants by any NHS Commissioners at this time.The availability and appropriateness of vocal cord transplants will be a matter for clinical decision. If a commissioning body seeks to provide a vocal cord transplant, NHSBT will work with them and other stakeholders to locate a suitable donor.

Mental Health Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many mental health trusts (a) Simon Stevens and (b) Sir Bruce Keogh have visited in each year since their appointments as Chief Executive and Medical Director respectively of NHS England.

Alistair Burt: Since taking up post on 1 April 2014, Simon Stevens has either visited or met mental health providers on at least 18 occasions.Sir Bruce Keogh has visited one mental health trust since his appointment.

Mental Health

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make an assessment of the number of people who will spend Christmas alone; and what assessment he has made of the effect of loneliness at that time of year on mental health needs.

Alistair Burt: The Department does not carry out an assessment of the number of people who will spend Christmas alone.Loneliness can have a significant impact on someone’s mental health. It can contribute to mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression. It can also have a negative impact on a person’s general health. The Campaign to End Loneliness report Loneliness: the State We’re In (2012) identified research which shows that loneliness has an effect on mortality that is similar in size to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, is worse for us than obesity, and is also associated with conditions such as cardiovascular disease.The Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework does have a measure which shows the percentage of local authority funded adult social care users and carers who have as much social contact as they would like. For 2014/15, it showed that 45% of service users and 39% of carers reported having as much contact as they would like.

Mental Illness: Children and Young People

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients attending A&E departments aged 0 to 18 years in 2014-15 were diagnosed with psychiatric conditions in 2014-15.

Alistair Burt: 18,673 accident and emergency (A&E) attendances by patients aged 0 to 18 had a diagnosis of a psychiatric condition in 2014-15.Notes:1. These figures are from Hospital Episode Statistics (HES).2. A&E DiagnosisThe main diagnosis recorded for A&E attendances. Please note that the recording of the diagnosis field within the A&E data set is not mandatory. It is not known to what extent changes over time are as a result of improvements in recording practice. The following codes were used in this enquiry: 35 = Psychiatric conditions3. Provisional dataThe data are provisional and may be incomplete or contain errors for which no adjustments have yet been made. Counts produced from provisional data are likely to be lower than those generated for the same period in the final data set. This shortfall will be most pronounced in the final month of the latest period. It is also probable that clinical data are not complete, which may in particular affect the last two months of any given period. There may also be errors due to coding inconsistencies that have not yet been investigated and corrected.4. Official source of A&E activity dataHES is not the official source of total A&E activity, this is the NHS England Situation Reports Collection-http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/However, HES permits further analysis of A&E activity as there are a range of data items by which HES can be analysed.

Antidepressants: Young People

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many prescriptions for anti-depressants were dispensed by the NHS for patients aged under 18 in each year since 2010.

Alistair Burt: Information is not available centrally concerning the age of patients prescribed and dispensed specific medicines.

Dementia

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) rates of admission to hospital, (b) total hospital bed-days per population and (c) rates of admission to hospital from a nursing home or residential care home for patients with a secondary diagnosis of dementia and aged over (i) 65 and (ii) 75 years of age for each clinical commissioning group in England were in each month of the last five years.

Jane Ellison: Information on (a) the rates of admission to hospital, (b) the total hospital bed-days per population and (c) the rates of admission to hospital from a nursing home or residential care home for patients with a secondary diagnosis of dementia who are aged (i) over 65 and (ii) over 75 for each clinical commissioning group (CCG) in England for the each month in the past five years could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.We have provided data attached which shows patients with a secondary diagnosis of dementia by CCG of residence for individuals aged (i) over 65 and (ii) over 75, for 2013-14 showing:(a) the rates of admission to hospital per age group population,(b) the total hospital bed-days per age group population and(c) the rates of admission to hospital from a nursing home or residential care home per age group population.Please be aware that the 2013-14 data supplied by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) in November 2014 was provisional at the time. HSCIC have since published the 2013-14 data. Further information can found through this link:http://www.hscic.gov.uk/article/2021/Website-Search?productid=17192&q=diagnosis+hospital+2013-14&sort=Relevance&size=10&page=1&area=both#topNote that some patients who live in nursing homes or residential care may have their source of admission recorded as 'usual place of residence' by the hospital staff but we cannot identify these.



Secondary diagnosis of dementia hospital admission
(Excel SpreadSheet, 56.14 KB)

Health Services: Weather

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when Ministers in his Department were first informed about NHS England's decision to change the data collected in the 2015-16 Winter Daily Situation Reports; when that decision was taken; and who was responsible for making that decision.

Jane Ellison: NHS England worked closely with NHS Trust Development Authority (TDA), Monitor (now NHS Improvement) and the Department over the summer to design the approach to winter monitoring. The approach this year is proportionate and risk based whereby trusts who have previously encountered heightened operational pressure are given the most support and are subject to the closest monitoring locally. Less challenged trusts are subject to a lighter touch approach and are required to submit a smaller selection of data items in the daily return. The overall approach was agreed in September by the respective chief executives of NHS England, TDA and Monitor with the Secretary of State for Health.

NHS: Management Consultants

Barbara Keeley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much (a) clinical commissioning groups, (b) commission support units and (c) NHS England spent on consultancy services in 2014-15.

George Freeman: Operating expenses, including expenditure on consultancy services, can be found in NHS England’s 2014/15 annual report:http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/nhse-annual-report-2014-15.pdfNHS England is currently taking steps to minimise its spending on consultancy services. New rules introduced in June require Trusts and Foundation Trusts to seek approval for any consultancy contracts over £50,000.

Hospitals: Inspections

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the Care Quality Commission has any plans to reduce the number of core services it inspects at NHS hospitals as a consequence of the changes to his Department's budget announced in the Spending Review and Autumn Statement 2015.

Ben Gummer: In January 2016, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) will consult on its proposed strategy for inspection and regulation from 2016 to 2021. Following the consultation, the CQC will formally publish its strategy which will set out how it proposes to inspect hospital services including its approach to the inspection of core services.

Department of Health: ICT

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much (a) his Department, (b) Public Health England, (c) NHS England and (d) each of his Department's non-departmental public bodies spent on (i) iPads, (ii) iPhones, (iii) other smartphones and (iv) other tablet devices in each of the last five years; and how many of each such device were purchased in each such year.

Jane Ellison: Information about the number and cost of iPads, iPhones, other smartphones and other tablet devices purchased by the Department and its arm’s length bodies in each of the last five years is contained in the attached tables.



PQ20065 Tables
(Word Document, 28.22 KB)

Nurses

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) nurse consultants, (b) modern matrons and (c) community matrons were employed in the NHS in the (i) latest period for which figures are available and (ii) same period in 2009-10.

Ben Gummer: The following table shows the number of nurse consultants, modern matrons and community matrons employed in the National Health Service in England.full-time equivalentAugust 2010August 2015Nurse consultants1,007882Modern Matrons4,8023,919Community Matrons1,5361,214Source: Health and Social Care Information Centre monthly workforce statisticsData is not available for August 2009 as the monthly workforce statistics commenced in September 2009.

NHS: Apprentices

Justin Madders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the potential cost to the NHS of the introduction of the apprenticeship levy in April 2017.

Ben Gummer: The apprenticeship levy will come into effect in April 2017. It will be payable by employers in the United Kingdom at 0.5% of pay bill. All employers will receive an allowance of £15,000 to offset against payment of the levy which means the levy will only be payable on pay bill in excess of £3 million per year. The NHS contribution to the levy will be dependent on individual NHS organisation’s pay bill at that time. The NHS is fully committed to the apprenticeship agenda and will use the levy contributions to grow the number of apprentices in the NHS.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what advice (a) Monitor and (b) the Trust Development Authority has issued to NHS trusts in England about postponing elective operations and outpatient appointments during the winter period.

Jane Ellison: As in previous winters Jim Mackey, head of NHS Improvement (which includes both Monitor and the Trust Development Authority) sent a letter to NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Trust Chief Executive Officers on 3 December 2015.The letter suggested as a guide to aim for 20% unoccupied general and acute bed capacity by Christmas Eve and stated that this might involve rescheduling of elective work. Winter always places extra demand on the NHS and we are working hard with hospitals to ensure they are fully prepared to meet this challenge. Managing planned non-emergency operations and helping patients to get out of hospital more quickly are examples of how hospitals can make sure they have enough free beds to cope with the rising number of patients needing emergency care that the winter period often brings.

Department of Health: Visits Abroad

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much (a) NHS England, (b) Public Health England, (c) Monitor and (d) the Care Quality Commission has spent on overseas visits since 2012-13; and what the date, destination and purpose was of each such visit.

Jane Ellison: Using information from central travel systems the Arm’s Length Bodies have advised their costs for the years specified. Costs for 2015-2016 will be available after the end of the financial year.(a) NHS EnglandSince 2012-13 NHS England has spent £167,492.78 on overseas travel. See attached spreadsheet for a breakdown of the costs including date, destination and purpose of visit. A summary table of annual costs is included here.Cost of overseas travel 2012/13 – 2015/16 – NHS EnglandFinancial YearTotal Spend2012 -2013-2013 - 2014£97,389.302014 - 2015£70,103.48Total£167,492.78(b)Public Health EnglandSince 2012-13 Public Health England has spent £2,991,553.00 20 on overseas travel. See attached table for a breakdown of destination and type of cost. Detail of individual trips can only be supplied at disproportionate cost. PHE is the lead for the UK on International Health Regulations, which extends to playing its part in protecting the UK from international health hazards, most obviously from communicable diseases. PHE's expert scientific and medical staff are routinely deployed across the world, for example: to respond to public health incidents of international concern, such as with the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). A summary table of annual costs is included here.Cost of overseas travel 2012/13 – 2015/16 – Public Health EnglandFinancial YearTotal Spend2012 -2013-2013 - 2014£1,565,9582014 - 2015£1,425,595Total£2,991,553.00(c) MonitorSince 2012-13 Monitor has spent £9,552.96 on overseas travel. See attached table for a breakdown of the costs including the date, destination and purpose of visit. A summary table of annual costs is included here.Cost of overseas travel 2012/13 – 2015/16 – Monitor°Financial YearTotal Spend2012 -2013£994.392013 - 2014£3,833.072014 - 2015£4,725.50Total£9,552.96°Figures include central travel bookings, expenses and credit cards(d) Care Quality CommissionSince 2012-13 CQC has spent £16,548.32 on overseas travel. CQC have advised that they do not collect the level of data asked for and to collate it would incur disproportionate cost. They have provided a table of year on year costs of overseas travel.Cost of overseas travel 2012/13 – 2015/16 – Care Quality Commission°Financial YearTotal Spend2012 -2013£3,136.732013 - 2014£5,067.782014 - 2015£8,343.81Total£16,548.32°Figures include flights and travel expenses 



Monitor
(Excel SpreadSheet, 19.94 KB)




NHS England
(Excel SpreadSheet, 26.99 KB)




Public Health England
(Word Document, 21.69 KB)

Department of Health: Consultants

Wes Streeting: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much each of his Department's non-departmental public bodies spent on consultancy services in (a) 2014-15 and (b) 2015-16 to date.

Jane Ellison: Total Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPB) spend on consultancy services in the year 2014-15 is shown in the table below. Data for 2015-16 will not be available until the accounts are published after the financial year end.NDPB Consultancy Spend 2014-15 (excluding NHS England)£000sHuman Fertilisation and Embryology Authority447Human Tissue Authority28Monitor11,773Care Quality Commission1,318Professional Standards Authority for Health & Social Care0Health & Social Care Information Centre1,526Health Research Authority0National Institute for Health & Care Excellence0NDPB total15,092 Operating expenses, including expenditure on consultancy services, can be found on pages 148 and 149 of NHS England’s 2014/15 annual report:http://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/nhse-annual-report-2014-15.pdfThe figures provided are disclosed as expenditure on “consultancy services” in the administration and programme costs notes in the Department’s Annual Report and Accounts.Consultancy services are defined as “The provision to management of objective advice and assistance relating to strategy, structure, management or operations of an organisation in pursuit of its purposes and objectives. Such assistance will be provided outside the ‘business as usual’ environment when in-house skills are not available and will be of no essential consequence and time-limited. Services may include the identification of options with recommendations and/or assistance with (but not delivery of) the implementation of solutions.”

Mental Health Services: Finance

Dr Sarah Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that mental health services receive parity of esteem with physical health services in terms of funding.

Alistair Burt: NHS England required clinical commissioning groups in the annual planning guidance for 2015/16, to increase their spending on mental health in line with the increase in their overall funding allocation.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Mr George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to replace the CAMHS strategy and framework; and when he plans to publish that document.

Alistair Burt: Children and young people’s mental health is a priority area for this Government and we are committed to delivering the vision set out in Future in mind, the report published jointly by the Department and NHS England in March 2015. Future in mind forms the basis of the Government’s plans for system wide transformation in children and young people’s mental health and is supported by an additional investment of £1.4 billion over the course of this Parliament. There are no plans to publish any further strategy or framework plans in addition to Future in mind.

Dementia

Debbie Abrahams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients with a diagnosis of dementia (a) attended A&E and (b) were admitted to hospital in each of the last three years.

Jane Ellison: In the Hospital Episode Statistics data it is not possible to identify patients that attended accident and emergency with a diagnosis of dementia.The Health and Social Care Information Centre have provided a count of finished admission episodes (FAEs) where there was a primary diagnosis of dementia for the years 2012-13 to 2014-15. This is shown in Table A.Note that this is not a count of people as the same person may have had more than one admission episode within the same time period.Table A: Count of FAEs where there was a primary diagnosis of dementia for the years 2012-13 to 2014-15YearSum of FAEs2012-1319,2742013-1417,9392014-1518,732Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

Palliative Care: Children

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2015 to Question 12730, what steps his Department is taking to improve palliative care for children in England.

Ben Gummer: NHS England has continued to provide £11 million to children’s palliative care providers through the annual Children’s Hospice and Hospice-at-Home Grant.The Department has also provided grant funding to ‘Together for Short Lives’ to support the Transition Taskforce, which is developing improved approaches to providing care and support to young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.NHS England has led work on behalf of the Government in developing draft currencies for palliative care (for all ages) which are now being tested with provider organisations. The aim is to put funding for children and adult hospices on a more equitable and sustainable footing, by clearly identifying the costs of care, so that it can be commissioned locally by clinical commissioning groups.

Veterans: Mental Health Services

Mr Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what funding has been allocated to armed forces veterans' mental health services in (a) 2015-16, (b) 2016-17, (c) 2017-18, (d) 2018-19, (e) 2019-20.

Alistair Burt: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 14 December 2015 to question  19176.

Older People: Fractures

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people aged 65 and over suffered a hip fracture as a result of a fall in each year since 2009-10.

Alistair Burt: The information is not available in the request format.Data within the Hospital Episode Statistics database is not recorded at patient level i.e. we are unable to provide a count of how many people suffered a hip fracture as required as the data relates to admissions. It is possible for a single person to have more than one admission in any given time period.Admissions data with a primary diagnosis of hip fracture, and where there was an external cause of fall, for patients aged 65 and over is below:YearFinished admission episodes2009-1036,0062010-1135,7342011-1235,8262012-1335,6692013-1437,3102014-1536,993Source: The Health and Social Care Information Centre, Hospital Episode Statistics

Hospitals: Older People

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many residents of care homes had an emergency admission to a hospital in 2014-15.

Alistair Burt: The information is not available in the format requested.The number of emergency admissions[1] from care homes to a hospital for 2014-15 was 22,682.However, we cannot provide a count of how many residents of care homes had an emergency admission, because data within the Hospital Episode Statistics database is not recorded at patient level. It is possible for a single person to have more than one admission in any given time period.[1] These are finished admission episodes (FAEs). A FAE is the first period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year or month in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the period.

Hospitals: Older People

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many falls among people aged 65 and over led to a hospital admission in each year since 2009-10; and what the five most frequent types of such falls resulting in such admissions were.

Alistair Burt: The following table provides a count of admissions[1] where an external cause of fall was recorded for patients aged 65 years and over from 2009/10 to 2014/15.YearExternal cause2009-102010-112011-122012-132013-142014-15Totals274,103295,136309,668259,669266,649282,719Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information CentreThe five most frequent type of falls resulting in such admissions are:Slipping, trips and stumblesFalls on the levelFalls involving a bedFalls from stairs and stepsUnspecified falls [1] This is a count of finished admission episodes (FAEs) where an external cause of fall was recorded for patients aged 65 and over for 2009-10 to 2014-15. These data should not be described as counts of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion.

Cancer: Drugs

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will place in the Library the impact assessment for NHS England's consultation on proposals for a new Cancer Drugs Fund operating model from 1 April 2016 which was published on 19 November 2015.

George Freeman: NHS England has advised that its impact assessment will not be completed until the outcomes from the current consultation on the future of the Cancer Drugs Fund are known

Prime Minister

NHS: Performance Standards

Karin Smyth: To ask the Prime Minister, what NHS performance statistics were made available to him through the Number 10 Dashboard in December (a) 2015 and (b) 2014.

Wes Streeting: To ask the Prime Minister, what information on NHS performance is made available to him through the Number 10 Dashboard.

Mr David Cameron: NHS performance statistics are published monthly and are available on the NHS England website.In addition, as is normal practice during winter, a situation report based on returns from acute trusts is published weekly and is available on the NHS England website.

Prime Minister: Official Hospitality

John Mann: To ask the Prime Minister, which types of French cheeses have been served at events in 10 Downing Street in the last five years.

Mr David Cameron: This information is not held.